
Tug of War victory for New Brighton RNLI
New Brighton RNLI’s volunteer crew saw in the New Year victorious, with both the men’s and women’s teams winning their tug of war bouts 2-0.
On New Year’s Day 2025 (Wednesday 1 January) volunteer lifeboat crew from New Brighton RNLI took part in a fundraising tug of war bout against their friends from Merseyside Sub Aqua Dive Club – Branch 5. Whilst initial poor weather had threatened to see the competition postponed, it was eventually able to go ahead.
This year’s competition was a historic one for both teams, with a women’s competition taking place for the first time.
Both teams put on a fantastic display of strength in a hard-fought battle, with a wonderful showing of support from the Wirral public on the day. The event raised over £1000 for New Brighton RNLI, who would like to thank all their supporters for their continued generosity.
The women’s competition took place first, with the New Brighton RNLI team emerging victorious in the first two legs of the best-of-three competition, thus winning their bout.
The men’s teams then competed for the Bob Grant Memorial Trophy, with New Brighton RNLI once again emerging victorious with a 2-0 scoreline. The Bob Grant Memorial Trophy is named for the late Captain Robert (Bob) Grant, a valued volunteer at New Brighton RNLI for many years, who helped to establish the tug of war competition pre-Covid.
Ian Thornton, LOM at New Brighton RNLI, said:
‘This event has become an absolute staple on the calendar for New Brighton RNLI, and it’s wonderful to see so many of the public turning out each year to show their support for the competition.
It was amazing to see our ladies getting stuck in and getting the recognition they deserve this year too, in an historic first outing for them – congratulations on a brilliant show of strength from our female volunteers!
Finally, I’d like to say a huge thanks to Merseyside Sub Aqua Dive Club – Branch 5, who have been fierce competitors on the day for many years now. They are truly valued friends of the station.’
Notes to Editors:
New Brighton RNLI was established in 1863 in the bustling seaside resort of New Brighton, on the northeast corner of the Wirral peninsula. They cover the River Mersey and out into the Irish Sea.
The station is home to a B-class Atlantic 85 lifeboat, one of the fastest in the RNLI fleet. The crews at New Brighton have been presented with a remarkable 48 awards for gallantry to date.
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