Seven-year-old Johnathon completes fundraising trek to Hunstanton RNLI
Seven-year-old Johnathon completes fundraising trek to Hunstanton RNLI
Lifeboats News Release
A seven-year-old boy who dreams of joining a Norfolk lifeboat crew walked 40 miles to their station, raising more than £2,000 for the charity that saves lives at sea.
RNLI/Chris Bishop
It was high fives from Stormy Stan, as seven-year-old RNLI supporter Johnathon Jarvis arrived at Hunstanton
Johnathon Jarvis set out from his home in Upwell, near Downham Market, on Thursday 30 May.
Parents Lee and Kayleigh pulled on their walking boots to join their son on the trek to Hunstanton RNLI.
And on Sunday 2 June, the family arrived to applause from crew and well-wishers who had gathered to greet them - after battling their way through gales and rain along the way.
RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, Rigil Kent welcomed Johnathon to the station, after crew members and Stormy Stan joined him for the final leg along the Prom and over the cliff tops.
'You've done a super job for us,' said Rigil. 'Well done.'
Water safety officer Kate Craven presented Johnathon with an honorary membership of Storm Force, the RNLI's club for young supporters.
'We're 200 years old this year and we couldn't do what we do without people like you and all of our supporters,' she said.
Johnathon, who hopes to one day join the station's hovercraft crew, was given a tour of the station's 'hover'
Hunstanton Flyer, by senior commander Lee Torrice.
Afterwards, his mum Kayleigh said Johnathon had shrugged off both the 40 miles and a bout of wet and windy weather along the way.
'He's done fantastically well, bless him,' she said. 'Even in the wind and rain, he always had a smile on his face, he just got his head down and got through it.'
Kayleigh added Johnathon's Gofundme page and donations along the way had raised more than £2,000.
'Next year he's going to relax and have a coffee morning for the RNLI,' she said. 'But the year after, he's on about walking to Scotland.'
Notes to editors
This year marks the 200th anniversary of both the founding of a lifeboat service at Hunstanton and the birth of the RNLI, whose work would not be possible without donations from its supporters.
The station operates both an Atlantic 85 fast inshore lifeboat, Spirit of West Norfolk and the search and rescue hovercraft
Hunstanton Flyer.
RNLI Picture captions The photographs show Johnathon arriving at Hunstanton RNLI. Credit: RNLI/Chris Bishop.
RNLI media contacts
For more information call Chris Bishop, Hunstanton RNLI volunteer Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer on 07584 147219, Clare Hopps, RNLI Regional Communications Manager (North and East) on 07824 518641, or the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.
RNLI/Chris Bishop
Crew members turned out to applaud, as Johnathon arrived at Hunstanton 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.
