Portpatrick RNLI raise over £24,000 during an action-packed 'lifeboat week'
Portpatrick Lifeboat station volunteers raised over a staggering £24,000 during the annual lifeboat week event.
The annual RNLI lifeboat week event held between 28 July and 3 August. The week started with a sombre reminder of the importance of the RNLI to the town.
On Sunday 28 July, Portpatrick RNLI held a commemorative service and reef laying on the coast line just south of the port, where 75 years on 27 July 1944, 22 crew and passengers on a plane carrying wounded troops home to safety crashed into the cliffs of Cairngarroch bay south of Portpatrick, leaving no survivors.
The RNLI Portpatrick lifeboat the Jeanie Spiers was called out to assist in the recovery of the deceased from the incident as access to the beach below the cliffs was as, is still the case today, only achieved by the sea.
The rest of the week volunteers organised a fun filled cerise of events culminating in a high octane fireworks finale.
The volunteers held events such as the fun run, zumba, charity race nights and family fun bingo. Local public houses also opened their doors to raise funds through live music events.
RNLI Portpatrick families also got on board by volunteering to run events like quiz nights, sandcastle competitions, coffee mornings and much more.
Friday saw the much loved charity raft race, where the community of Portpatrick and surrounding areas hotly compete in a 'raft around the harbour race.' The final day; Saturday brings tourists and locals out in droves to see the voluntary emergency services demonstration events.
Kicked off by a cliff rescue by the HM Coastguard then followed by the joint operations of Portpatrick and Stranraer inshore lifeboat.
This meant that a demonstration of life saving was held within the wall of the harbour, much to the delight of the crowds who got to see close up the hard work and skill needed by the volunteer crew of both inshore and off shore lifeboats.
RNLI crew members carried out a capsize drill, person in water recovery to a inshore life boat, this was followed by a 'Float to Live' demonstration and the volunteers finished off with a synchronised 'crocodile' swim to make their way to the harbour steps, to the applause of the crowd watching on.
Saturday night and volunteer Crew of the RNLI Portpatrick held a BBQ and bonfire with fundraising events 'wheel of fortune' and 'lucky numbers' finishing with a spectacular fireworks display to mark the end of Lifeboat week 2019.
After much collecting, counting and conferring it is now estimated that the volunteer team of Portpatrick RNLI charity workers raise a staggering £24,000.
This was only achieved by the help, time and charity of people volunteering their time and money to help the RNLI save lives at sea.
RNLI media contacts
For more information please contact Portpatrick RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, Pete Robinson, 07827 424308 or [email protected]
Gemma McDonald, Regional Media Manager (Scotland), 07826 900639 or [email protected]
Martin Macnamara, Regional Media Officer (Scotland), 07920 365929 or [email protected]
RNLI Press Office: 01202 336789
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 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 142,700 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter 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.