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A 4year old's Christmas fund raiser

Lifeboats News Release

The RNLI has been asking everyone who takes on the Reindeer Run Challenge to run 24 miles throughout December, even a mile a day. So 4yrs old lifeboat fan Alice Bigham has been taking part.

Picture shows 4yrs old walking

RNLI/Philip Monckton

Alice Bigham on her walk
Alice has pounded the miles in a fund raising drive to help RNLI volunteers save lives at sea. Now on Christmas Eve Alice is finishing her latest mile, from the Penlee Lifeboat Shop in Penzance to the Penlee Lifeboat Station in Newlyn, this little girl has raised more than £300 in December for the RNLI.

Coxswain Patch Harvey arrived in the lifeboat house especially to meet Alice and mum & dad Michelle and Vaughan Bigham and during a nice chat over a cuppa Alice gave Patch a Christmas card addressed to the whole crew.

The highlight for Alice, who hails from Stithians near Truro, was a trip around our Severn Class lifeboat Ivan Ellen guided of course by Patch. And just like Patch who was awarded a silver medal for the rescue of a yacht in 2022, Alice will get her own RNLI medal for raising more than £125 during her Reindeer Run.

Well done Alice!

Notes to editors
Penlee RNLI is based in Newlyn, Penzance, Cornwall TR18 5HW. The volunteers crew an all-weather Severn Class Lifeboat the Ivan Ellen and a B class Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat the Mollie and Ivor Dent. The Penlee Lifeboat has a rich 200 years history of saving lives at sea.
RNLI media contacts For more information, please contact Phil Monckton, Penlee Lifeboat Press Officer on 07879818095 or [email protected], or Amy Caldwell, RNLI Regional Communications Manager [email protected] or Emma Haines, RNLI Regional Communications Officer, on 07786 668847 or [email protected].




Picture shows a little girl Alice Bigham with coxswain Patch Harvey

RNLI/Philip Monckton

Alice Bigham meets Penlee coxswain Patch Harvey
Picture shows a little girl Alice Bigham

RNLI/Philip Monckton

Alice Bigham has raised £300 for RNLI

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.