Beautiful boat planter raises funds for Kilkeel RNLI

To be in with a chance of winning the planter, £5 donations were accepted by Martin (Tiddles) Trimble, Siobhan Trimble, and Ceara Russell of G Smyth Boats.

The draw for the winner took place on Saturday 10 April and the lucky winner was Esther Shields from Annalong, who gratefully accepted the planter Hope which had been filled with plants supplied by David Campbell of the Kilkeel Garden Centre.

In accepting the £1,840 cheque, John Fisher, Kilkeel RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, thanked Gerry Smyth of G Smyth Boats Ltd. for the work involved in producing the planter which was a novel way to raise funds for the RNLI and which has allowed the local community to show, once again their continuing support for the charity that saves lives at sea.

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.

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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.