Queensferry RNLI Open Day raises over £3000 in vital funding for the charity

Volunteer crew members welcomed excited children onto the lifeboat, explaining the roles of the crew when on a ‘shout’ and what various parts of the lifeboat and its kit are used for, before sending children, and adults, away with the key safety message of calling 999 and asking for the Coastguard if they are ever in need of assistance.

Staff and volunteers from the RNLI’s Water Safety Education Team engaged with young people and their families on key water safety advice including the Float to Live message.

Other emergency services and partner agencies were also a big part of the day. A Scottish Ambulance Service SORT vehicle and paramedic demonstrated their kit and spoke of the work that the SORT team do and how they work alongside Queensferry RNLI Lifeboat. A Blood Bikes volunteer with his motorbike, MX Medical with their ambulance, and Police Scotland community officers with their electric police car and plenty of police hats for children to try on were also present. There was even a ‘best beard’ competition between Stormy Stan and PC Sam.

As well as all of this, there were stalls selling home baking, a BBQ food stand, ice cream parlour, a raffle, a bottle tombola, plant stall, children’s lucky dip, sponge throwing stocks and a face painter. There was entertainment from the local Queensferry Pipes and Drums, an incredible water rescue demonstration by The Scottish Newfoundland Club, plus the lifeboat and crew demonstrated their capabilities with some rough weather handling. A Tug boat from nearby Hound Point closed the event with an impressive fire fighting water display.

A ‘pop up’ RNLI shop was also part of the Open Day stalls with the main shop on Hawes Pier open as normal. They also enjoyed tremendous success on the day with combined sales of over £1400.

Jacqui Horsburgh, Queensferry RNLI Fundraising Branch Chair said; ‘It was fantastic to hold another great Open Day at Queensferry RNLI and despite the unfavourable weather, still have hundreds of people turn up and join us for the afternoon and raise an incredible £3000 for the charity that saves lives at sea.

‘Not only is it vital that these funds are raised, but it is also incredibly important that we engage and educate the public, particularly young people, on water safety and lifesaving advice.

‘We would like to thank our local community, our supporters and our local businesses who all played a part in putting the day on and making it a great success.'

ENDS

Notes to editors

· The RNLI is the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

· The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea.

· Queensferry RNLI is based at Hawes Pier, South Queensferry, EH30 9TB. The lifeboat station was founded in 1967 and the volunteer crew use an inshore Atlantic 85 B class lifeboat Jimmie Cairncross.

· In 2022 Queensferry lifeboat launched 64 times and saved two lives.

· To learn more about the lifeboat station visit; https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/queensferry-lifeboat-station

Photo Credits

The attached photos are from Queensferry Lifeboat Open Day on Sunday 2 July.

· Queensferry Lifeboat with crew members giving the crowd a wave. Credit RNLI/Adrian McKie

· Newfoundland dog from The Scottish Newfoundland Club carrying out a rescue demonstration. Credit RNLI/Adrian McKie

· Police Officers PC Davidson and PC Fulton from North West Edinburgh Community Policing Team alongside RNLI Mascot Stormy Stan. Credit Police Scotland North West Edinburgh Community Policing

· Queensferry RNLI Atlantic 85 Lifeboat Jimmie Cairncross making waves Credit RNLI/Adrian McKie

RNLI media contacts

Adele Allan, Lifeboat Press Officer, Queensferry Lifeboat Station, [email protected]

Julie Dominguez, Lifeboat Press Officer, Queensferry Lifeboat Station, [email protected]

Natasha Bennett, RNLI Regional Media Officer for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]

Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Media Manager for Scotland, 07920 365929, [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.