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RNLI Montrose open day a huge success as over £6,200 raised
RNLI Montrose has hailed its 2026 open day a tremendous success after raising an incredible £6,222.65 to support the charity's lifesaving work.
Held in glorious sunshine, hundreds of people flocked to Montrose Lifeboat Station to enjoy a packed afternoon of family entertainment, lifeboat tours, fundraising activities, demonstrations and the opportunity to meet the volunteer crew.
The day got off to an unexpected start when, at 11:40am, just 20 minutes before the event officially opened, both Montrose lifeboats were tasked on service call. While the Open Day continued as planned, visitors patiently waited for the lifeboats to return before enjoying the ever-popular boat tours - a fitting reminder that the RNLI's volunteer crews are always ready to answer the call when someone needs our help.
The beautiful weather helped create a fantastic atmosphere throughout the day, with visitors enjoying a variety of attractions. New additions to this year's event, including the coconut shy, hook a duck, bean bag Slider, splat the rat and play your cards right, proved to be a huge hit with children and families.
A significant proportion of the £6,222.65 raised came through the event's hugely successful raffle, which proved to be one of the best the station has ever held.
The raffle was only made possible thanks to the incredible generosity of every business and individual who donated a prize. From luxury hampers and an overnight stay to restaurant vouchers and many other fantastic gifts, the quality and variety of prizes helped make the raffle a huge success and encouraged tremendous support, both in the run up to and on the open day.
RNLI Montrose would like to extend its sincere thanks to every business and individual who kindly donated a prize. Their generosity played a vital role in the success of the Open Day and contributed significantly to the fantastic total of £6,222.65 raised for the RNLI's lifesaving work.
The station would also like to thank Radio North Angus for attending and helping to create such a fantastic atmosphere throughout the day, Vestas for generously donating all of the food for the BBQ, RNLI Arbroath for bringing their Atlantic 85 lifeboat along to the event, Montrose Coastal Rowing Club for joining the day, and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service for bringing one of their fire appliances for visitors to explore.
Finally, RNLI Montrose would like to recognise the tremendous effort of its volunteer lifeboat crew, fundraising branch, shop volunteers, event volunteers, helpers, family members and everyone who gave up their time before, during and after the event. From setting up and running stalls to welcoming visitors, cooking on the BBQ, organising games, selling raffle tickets and packing everything away afterwards, the open day was a true team effort.
Scott Murray, Montrose RNLI Coxswain, said:
"We are absolutely overwhelmed by the support shown by our local community. To raise £6,222.65 is a fantastic achievement, and I'd like to thank every single person who came along and supported our Open Day.
The day certainly got off to an eventful start with both of our lifeboats launching just 20 minutes before we opened, but that's exactly what the RNLI is here for. We'd also like to thank everyone for their patience while waiting for the boats to return before the tours could begin.
It was wonderful to see so many families enjoying the day, especially all the children getting involved with our new games, which were a huge success. Events like this simply wouldn't happen without the dedication of our volunteers and the incredible generosity of our local businesses, organisations and supporters. Every penny raised will help the RNLI continue saving lives at sea, and we're incredibly grateful to everyone who played a part in making the day such a memorable success."
RNLI Montrose would once again like to thank everyone who attended, volunteered, donated or supported the Open Day. The incredible total of £6,222.65 will help ensure the station's volunteer crews have the training, equipment and support they need to continue saving lives at sea.
RNLI Media Contacts
For further information, please contact:
Sally McKay, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI Scotland, [email protected]
Richard Smith, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]
Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]
RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]
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.