Tynemouth RNLI volunteer takes on Great North Run challenge

James Waters, who is a volunteer crew member and Lifeboat Press Officer at Tynemouth RNLI, will take part in the Great North Run on Sunday 13 September, running from Newcastle upon Tyne to South Shields.

James will be wearing his RNLI dry suit and wellies, along with his other equipment, as he aims to raise £1,000 for the charity.

James said: ‘I’ve been fortunate to be part of the crew at Tynemouth, so I wanted to take on a challenge that would help raise funds for the charity I volunteer for.

‘The Great North Run seemed like a good opportunity to do something different and hopefully raise some awareness of the work that the RNLI does.

‘The kit is designed for lifesaving at sea rather than running, so it does make things a little more difficult. The dry suit and wellies are probably the biggest challenge, and with around 10kg of equipment to carry, I’m expecting it to feel quite different from a normal run.

‘I’ve been getting used to running in the kit as part of my training, so hopefully that will help on the day.’

James has been training for the event over recent months, including taking part in the North Tyneside 10K with fellow RNLI crew members.

He has also completed a number of longer training runs and has been getting used to running in his RNLI kit ahead of the event.

James has so far raised more than £850 towards his £1,000 target.

Katie Hill, RNLI Community Manager for the North and East, said: ‘It’s great to see James taking on this challenge to support the RNLI.

‘Our volunteers give their time in many different ways, both on and off the water, and fundraising is an important part of helping us continue our lifesaving work.

‘We’re very grateful to James for taking part and wish him the very best for the Great North Run.’

James added: ‘I’m really grateful to everyone who has donated so far. The support has been fantastic and has made the training worthwhile.

‘Hopefully I can get over the finish line in South Shields, reach the £1,000 target and raise some money for the RNLI along the way.’

The link to donate to James's challenge is here:
https://fundraise.rnli.org/fundraisers/jameswaters22399

The Great North Run takes place on Sunday 13 September, with runners travelling from Newcastle upon Tyne to South Shields.

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

James Waters, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI North and East, [email protected]

Clare Hopps, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for North East and East England, 07824 518641, [email protected]

Richard Grange, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for North East and East England, 07483 112015, [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.