Yellow Welly Walk for Eastbourne RNLI
Almost fifty people signed up for Eastbourne RNLI’s first yellow welly walk to raise funds for the lifeboat station.
The walk set off at 10:30am on Saturday 16 September by the station's Lifeboat Operations Manager, Carl Pocock, at the inshore lifeboat station. Carl was joined by two crew walking in full inshore lifeboat kit and Stormy Stan as the group walked along the seafront to the Lifeboat Museum on King Edwards Parade.
After a stop for refreshments and a chance for the crew members to take a quick cooling dip in the sea, the walk resumed and the group walked back to the inshore lifeboat station in time for the open day and training exercise.
Both the Trent class and the D Class lifeboats were about to start the exercise in front of the lifeboat station when the D Class was tasked to a vessel with engine issues that was drifting close to rocks at the entrance at Sovereign harbour.
The crew aboard swiftly dealt with the incident helping the vessel get to deep water before forming up alongside the Trent. Both boats raced to the scene of a simulated casualties in the water. The crew on each boat demonstrated how they would assist casualties before the D Class was beached in front of the crowd and then refloated before showing off the manoeuvrability of the boat. The crew on the Trent them showed the crowd how they could fight a fire on another vessel using the D Class as a casualty vessel.
The crews waved goodbye as they left the area to a round of applause from the crowds, a local band, the Shamolies provided live music throughout the open day and Eastbourne Coastguard were also at the open day and assisted with the open day.
‘We are extremely grateful to all those who came out to take part in the fundraiser for the station, their donations will allow us to continue to save lives at sea.’ Carl Pocock said after the event.
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.