Hoylake RNLI makes a splash raising over £1,400 at Mayday Car Wash

The Wirral lifeboat crew washed 93 vehicles in total, including an ice cream van and Wirral Coastguard’s rescue truck. Visitors donated an incredible £1,291.60 to help save lives at sea during the busy summer season.

The station’s all-weather Shannon class lifeboat was out on display and RNLI gifts and souvenirs were on sale outside the boathouse, with the shop team raising £150. In total, the Mayday event saw £1,441.60 raised to fund the kit, equipment and training needed by the lifeboat crew to respond 24/7 when someone is in danger.

The Mayday campaign is the RNLI’s annual call for help, coming as the lifesaving charity released rescue data from 2025 showing that lifeboats across Merseyside launched 107 times last year, up from 89 launches in 2024. At Hoylake RNLI lifeboat station, the volunteer crew assisted 11 people and saved one person from drowning as they launched to the rescue 31 times.

In total, RNLI lifeboat crews helped 8,290 people and saved 272 lives as the charity's lifeboats launched more than 9,000 times in 2025, making it the sixth-busiest year in the charity's history.

Howie Owen, Hoylake RNLI Coxswain, said:

‘We’re so grateful to everyone who came along to support our Mayday Car Wash this year. Whether they brought a vehicle for cleaning, bought something from our shop, or stopped by to learn about our charity, every donation will help our volunteer crew continue saving lives at sea.’

‘As we head into summer, when thousands of people will head to our coast, Hoylake RNLI’s volunteers will be ready to respond day and night whenever their pagers sound. Events like this not only raise vital funds for our charity, but also remind us of the amazing support from our community for their local RNLI volunteers. Thanks to everyone who helped make the day such a success, including our dedicated lifesavers.’

Find out more about supporting the RNLI’s Mayday campaign at rnli.org/Mayday

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Dan Whiteley, Hoylake RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer on 07799 851 316 or [email protected]

Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Wales, West of England and Isle of Man, 07977 728 315, [email protected]

Danielle Rush, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Wales, West of England and Isle of Man, 07786 668829, [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.