98 and Jack just goes on giving: birthday celebrations at RNLI Rye Harbour
Jack David Parker was born in Redhill April 1923 and has lived his life giving to others. His philosophy owes much to Henry Ford, ‘To do more for the world than the world does for you…that is success.’
Jack spent five years in the Navy and then for the next forty-five he was a butcher in Redhill, Surrey. He and his wife worked throughout their lives for local and national charities. He was a familiar and popular character working, in the Save the Children’s charity shop in in Reigate. His voice was well known on Radio Redhill for the whole of that time, playing hospital requests, announcing fetes and plugging functions. He worked as DJ in numerous day centres and was always a ray of sunshine to all those who met him.
Jack has been collecting and donating for the RNLI for over sixty years and when his daughter Rosemarie asked RNLI Rye Harbour if he could be given a special welcome for his 98th birthday (outside and socially-distanced) the station did not hesitate.
The surprise visit was ‘the best birthday present ever’, Jack said. RNLI Hastings was training jointly with Rye Harbour so, happily, Jack was greeted not by one but by three lifeboats
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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