Porsche 911 challenge powers into Bridlington RNLI
A married couple in a Porsche 911 attempting to visit around the coast of the UK and Ireland visiting all Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat stations met volunteers from Bridlington Lifeboat Station as they continue their journey.
Belinda and James Richardson, from London, are travelling 8,500 miles in their Porsche 911, hoping to visit all 238 lifeboat stations in 911 hours. After starting in Morecambe on Friday 23 August, the pair today visited Bridlington Lifeboat Station.
The fundraising couple pulled up at Bridlington RNLI at exactly 9.11am this morning to be greeted by volunteers from Bridlington Lifeboat Station, along with other Porsche owners supporting the challenge. Bridlington RNLI marked the 114th stop for the duo, and ‘Splash’ the stunning Porsche 911, and is just over the half halfway mark of their 221 RNLI stations tour.
Belinda said, ‘We are so pleased to visit Bridlington RNLI again today as they are always guaranteed a warm welcome in sunny Bridlington as we continue to bring the sunshine to most of the stations we have visited’. When asked what the couple will be doing once their 4th and final tour of RNLI stations in late September? Belinda was quick to say that they had just become grandparents for the first time earlier this month and that this will occupy them for the foreseeable future.’
Belinda and James then presented the station with a specially designed jigsaw and Top Trumps-style cards which feature call out statistics for all stations which was accepted by the Bridlington RNLI Station’s Lifeboat Operations Manager (LOM) Steve Clarke and Chair Lynn Shaw. With that the 911 was fired up and bang on time they set off for the next RNLI station further down the East Coast.
Jayne George, RNLI Director of Fundraising, said: ‘We are so grateful to Belinda and James for taking on this huge challenge and look forward to welcoming them at all of our lifeboat stations around the coast.
‘We are only able to save lives at sea thanks to the generous support of people taking on challenges like this, and we’re honoured Belinda and James have decided to raise even more money to fund a new D class inshore lifeboat.
‘In 2023 alone, D class lifeboats saved 96 lives and helped 2,028 people in difficulty. Belinda and James’ 911 challenge will help continue that lifesaving legacy.’
To donate to their challenge, visit https://rnli-911challenge.co.uk/
Notes to editors
· For more information on Belinda and James’ challenge, visit here.
· Photos of the couple and the Porsche can be downloaded here.
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For more information please telephone Ben Williets, RNLI Press Officer on 01202 641450 or [email protected]. Alternatively, contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789 or [email protected].
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 142,700 lives.
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