
Ballyholme Yacht Club raises £2,000 for Bangor RNLI
Bangor RNLI were presented with a cheque for £2,000 by the members of Ballyholme Yacht Club following fundraising during their Boxing Day Regatta and open sea swim.
Last night (Tuesday, 28 January) Bangor RNLI Visits Officers John Montgomery and John Magowan gave a presentation on water safety to the members and guests at Ballyholme Yacht Club.
The audience were guided through the charities 200-year history and also the local history of Bangor RNLI which celebrates it’s 60th anniversary later this year. The presentation concluded with an audience member trying on the inshore lifeboat crew kit and drysuit. Bangor RNLI helms James Gillespie and John Bell also regaled the audience with some rescue stories, which were both informative and entertaining.
Following the water safety talk, members of the Bangor lifeboat crew were presented with a cheque for £2,000.
The money was raised during the club’s annual charity open sea swim and Boxing Day regatta with generous donations from both competitors and supporters. Over 100 open water swimmers braved the elements on Boxing Day for the annual Boxing Day Swim and there were six races in the afternoon for the regatta.
Rear Commodore Sailing Barbara Polly said: ‘There’s no better charity to raise funds for than the RNLI. We’re out on the water all year round whether it’s racing or leisure sailing, we know things can go wrong very quickly and its very reassuring to know that the volunteer crew from Bangor are there for us 24/7.'
Tom Bell, Bangor RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer said: 'We are extremely grateful for the support that we continue to receive from Ballyholme Yacht Cub, and we cannot thank them enough for their latest donation. The funds will be used locally at Bangor RNLI to help power our 24/7 lifesaving service so we can continue to achieve our overall goal of saving lives at sea.'
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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 146,000 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter 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.