Leigh Lion’s Shanty festival raises £2,000 for Southend RNLI

Organized for every May by the Leigh-on-Sea Lions Club, the popular weekend event drew over 20 sea shanty bands from across the country to perform at Old Leigh, bringing vibrant music, tradition, and crowds to the town.

Proceeds from the festival are split between two deeply cherished local organizations: Southend RNLI Lifeboat Station and the Endeavour Trust Leigh-on-Sea.

Following the festival's success, event organizer and Leigh Lions Club member Tony Prior visited Southend RNLI Lifeboat Station to present the volunteer crew with the funds raised. Joining Tony for the presentation were fellow members of the Hoy Shanty Crew (Leigh Lions’ sea shanty band) who handed over a cheque for £2,000 to support the station's life-saving work.

Southend RNLI volunteer Fundraising Chair Tony Clarke said: ‘We are immensely grateful to the Leigh-on-Sea Lions Club and their band Hoy Shanty Crew for their phenomenal support. Receiving this incredible donation from the total raised makes a huge difference, the funds help ensure our volunteer crew at Southend RNLI remain fully equipped and ready to save lives at sea.’

The remaining £2,000 will be presented to the Endeavour Trust to assist in their ongoing efforts to maintain and preserve Leigh's famous Dunkirk Little Ship, the Endeavour.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the charity that saves lives at sea, powered by generous public donations and legacies.

For further information please contact:

• Nigel Gilchrist. Lifeboat Press Officer at Southend-on-Sea RNLI [email protected] or 07765 875300
• Julie Rainey. Regional Communications Lead [email protected] or 07827 358256
• For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789

Notes to Editors:

• Southend RNLI is one of the busiest coastal stations across the UK and Republic of Ireland.
• Southend RNLI cover approximately fifteen miles of shore from Shoeburyness to Canvey and beyond.
• For more information, please visit: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/southend-on-sea-lifeboat-station

RNLI online

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

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 over 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and, in a normal year, 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.

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Nigel Gilchrist, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI South East, [email protected]

Jess Curtis, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for London and South East England, 07483 488243, [email protected]

Julie Rainey, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for London and South East England, 07827 358256, [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.