RNLI Hastings volunteers celebrate record-breaking May Day fundraising success
Hastings RNLI lifeboat station’s volunteer crew and fundraisers pulled out all the stops this May Day weekend, smashing previous fundraising records during one of the town’s busiest celebrations of the year.
At the heart of Hastings’ Jack in the Green festivities, one of Europe’s biggest May Day events, lifeboat station volunteers welcomed hundreds of visitors eager to learn more about the charity that saves lives at sea and the many ways they can support their local lifeboat station.
Despite a busy weekend operationally, with the station’s Shannon-class all-weather lifeboat launching on both Friday, 1 May, and Sunday, 3 May to assist yachts in difficulty off the coast, the team found time to join the town’s festivities in style. Volunteers donned leafy Jack in the Green headwear, served tea and cakes to visitors in the sunshine, and joined the parade to raise vital funds for the RNLI.
Bob Morrison, Fundraising Group Lead at Hastings RNLI, said:
“This was an amazing result for Hastings RNLI. May Day Bank Holiday is always one of our busiest weekends, with both the traditional Jack in the Green and the Bike Run bringing crowds to the Old Town and seafront. This year’s total was particularly impressive. My heartfelt thanks go to the generosity of the public and to our volunteers, who worked tirelessly collecting donations, baking cakes, and keeping everyone refreshed throughout the day.”
Visitors also had the chance to speak with Sally Greig, one of the station’s volunteer Launch Authorities, who shared information about the wide range of roles that keep the lifeboat station running. Roles as diverse as Water Safety, Fundraising, Shop, and Guides, to boat and shore crew.
The team raised more than £2,200, every penny of which will help fund the RNLI’s lifesaving work along the East Sussex coastline and beyond.
RNLI Media Contacts
For further information, please contact:
Linda Revill, 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.