Poole RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew are appealing to people to join in with the RNLI’s biggest fundraising day on Friday 27 January 2012.
Poole crew are asking people ’show your support for our volunteer lifeboat crews and lifeguards.’
Whether people raise money at school, at work or anywhere else, donations will enable the charity to carry on vital life-saving work. Some of the money raised on this special day will go towards the cost of new specially designed lifejackets that the Poole, Swanage and Mudeford RNLI stations will be taking delivery of this year. Lifejackets ‘save lives’ – they are an essential part of our volunteers’ kit. The new design, which is specially developed for search and rescue, has some very important features that will aid the crew in their work.
Johnathan Clark, Poole Volunteer Coxswain, said: ‘It’s a big undertaking by the RNLI to replace and update all of our lifejackets. As a volunteer who has the privilege to go to sea and wear one, I am heartened by this investment. The RNLI has always provided the best equipment so that we can do our jobs securely and save lives at sea without putting ourselves at risk.’
Jonathan added: ‘It’s a far cry from the first lifejacket which was made of cork or even what my father and I wore when we first volunteered. It is an essential part of our kit and one of the most expensive. The RNLI is a charity that totally relies on the generosity of the public, and the crew are always mindful of this and grateful for the support, especially in these hard times. We have a fundraising target of £8000 to replenish the lifejackets for our station alone, which is a big ask, but every bit will help, if we work together.’
So how can you get involved in our national fundraising day?
See Our Scullers. Support the Poole crew as they take part in a 24 hour ‘rowathon’ at the lifeboat station on Poole Quay by the lifting bridge from 6pm on Thursday 26 January 26 to 6pm on Friday 27 January. The station door will be open so please call in and support us and have a brew with the crew. Any sponsorship will be gratefully received.
See Our Shoes. Staff at HSBC in Poole will be wearing silly shoes as will pupils atOakdaleSouthRoadMiddle School, Poole. The pupils will be baking and selling yummy cakes and the staff and children will be wearing funky footwear for a donation to Save Our Soles.
Shell Out Silver. Volunteers from Poole Lifeboat Station will be collecting and chatting to shoppers at Sainsbury’s Pitwines on SOS day Friday 27 January and there will be a collection in the Dolphin Centre on Sunday 29 January – so come and say hello.
Sing Our Songs. Man the Pumps will be perform at The Parkstone, Ashley Road, Parkstone on Friday 27 Janaury from 7.30pm. Join Tammie and Steve for a fun evening.
Lilliput Sailing club are hosting a Scoff Our Spratts fest on Saturday 28 January. Poole Coxswain Jonathan Clark, retired 2nd Cox John Clark and Poole crewman Mike Hallard will be cooking the Spratts. Tickets available – so come hungry as there are plenty of fishies on the dishies to scoff.
Shimmy Or Shake Revue. An evening of Burlesque at the Blue Boar, Market Street, Poole from 7.30pm on Saturday 28 Jan. Suggested donation £5 - tickets available. It’s about performers who put their own twist on the art of the tease. Cheesecake 1950s pin-ups, glamorous fan dances, story-telling and a little bit of cheekiness is what the show is all about.
There is certainly something for all!
For more information on any of the events please contact Anne-Marie Clark on 07887 855073 or log onto http://rnli.org.uk/sosday for more information, inspiration and ideas on how to get involved.
Fundraising begins with the word fun and that is what the crew aim to do and hopefully raise some money to buy the lifeckets for the lifeboat station.
