RNLI New Brighton volunteers win at the Chester Raft race

The Chester Raft Race involved 40 rafts with a 'Best of British' theme and raised money for both the RNLI and KidsBank.

This year the volunteers at New Brighton RNLI decided to compete, spending weeks building, painting and testing their hand made raft to its limits in the New Brighton Marine Lake.

The volunteers named their raft the Mersey Bell-Rescue II and the name was inspired by the first lifeboat in New Brighton which was called Rescue.

Brandishing their old fashioned inspired cork themed buoyancy aids, which resembled that of those worn by RNLI crews in the 1850s, and with oars in hand - the crew took to the water racing against many different handmade rafts.

The team consisted of eight crew members, Ben Marsh, James Siddell, Jack Billinge, Alex Sapple, Oz Ramsay, Mark Daly, Joanne Ball and Lucy Shaw. Six crew members took to the raft with two reserves ready to swap out if needed.

The volunteers worked tirelessly and with other volunteer crew members, family and friends cheering from the river bank, they brought home the victory winning fast raft, beating the second fastest by half a second. They also won the overall winners trophy which combined all the scores based on raft design and fastest race time.

James Siddell volunteer Crew Member and Tractor Driver at New Brighton RNLI said:

'Here at New Brighton we are extremely proud of our volunteers achievements and wanted to say thank you the organisers of the Chester Raft Race for choosing the RNLI as one of their charities.

'We also want to say thank you to the other teams for their fierce competition and fantastic craftsmanship.The crew and their family members really came together to help make an awesome raft that was not only fast, but paid homage to our lifesaving history.

'I'm really proud of what our crew accomplished, there were truly some great competitors out on the water today. We all can't wait to do it again and defend the trophy next year!'

• 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.

For more information, please contact:

Emily Craven
Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer/ILB Crew
New Brighton RNLI
[email protected]
07986119684

Connor Wray
Lifeboat Press Officer/ILB Crew
New Brighton RNLI
[email protected]
07756553092

Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith
Regional Communications Manager
[email protected]
07977728315

Or the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.

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.

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