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Southwold RNLI Midsummer Ball & Auction

Lifeboats News Release

Southwold RNLI volunteers are celebrating the 200th anniversary of the RNLI this year with a Midsummer Ball and Auction on 15 June at Southwold Sports Pavilion.

RNLI/Jeremy Taylor

To countdown the days to the RNLI Southwold Midsummer Ball an online auction has been launched to help raise money for Southwold Lifeboat.

Local residents and businesses have kindly donated auction lots for the event and a select few are available online for you to bid on at: https://www.jumblebee.co.uk/southwoldrnlimidsummerauction

Items include:
  • 'Love Actually' final script donated by Richard Curtis and Emma Freud from the hit 2003 film.
  • The Dabbling Duck Pub; Sunday Night Stay in one of their Boutique Rooms.
  • “Braving the Waves” collage by Ruth McCabe
  • Shed Stoker Bee Experience Day for One Person
  • 8 Day Cruise 'Danube Delights' with Emerald Cruises
  • Collen & Clare Private Shopping Evening for you and up to five guests
  • Serena Hall Artwork – June Poppies
  • Sole Bay Hut 6 - Beach Hut Weekend
Tickets for the event itself sold out quickly and guests will be treated to an evening of elegance, entertainment and heartfelt giving.

Highlights of the evening include:

Guests are greeted with canapes and a welcome drink, accompanied by singing from the Lowestoft Longshoremen, during which time tickets will be sold for the luxury raffle with fantastic prizes donated by local businesses and supporters. Guests will also have an opportunity to view the auction lots.

The ingredients for the meal of Roast Blythburgh Pork Loin, Duck fat roasted potatoes, summer greens, Yorkshire pudding, Apple Sauce, and Crackling have all been kindly supplied by local businesses, Cleveleys, Mills & Sons Butchers, Bridgefoot Stores, Little Gems and Wangford Farm Shop.

A gelato cart supplied by Harris & James will provide a range of flavours for dessert.

Following the auction guests will dance the remainder of the night away to music from the appropriately named band 'Agent Orange'.


Event organiser and Southwold & Dunwich RNLI Fundraisers chair Lisa Cooper-Dann said: 'The 200th Anniversary Midsummer Ball & Auction, a great occasion to celebrate all the hard work not only our crew but all the past crew and volunteers have dedicated to the charity over the last 200 years. This year I’ve committed my time to raising vital funds for Southwold RNLI Station to make this big birthday one to remember.'


RNLI Media contacts
Southwold Lifeboat Volunteer Press Officer, [email protected]

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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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.

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