Lifeboat supporter’s generous bequest
Family of dearly missed supporter visit Minehead Lifeboat Station to present cheque
Jeremy Connell was a familiar face amongst Minehead’s harbour community, working as a barman and living for several years at The Old Ship Aground pub. And over time, he became a member of the Lifeboat community too. Whilst not a formal crew member, he would frequently arrive on shouts before the crew, rushing from the pub to open the boathouse, collecting donations from patrons, and would ensure the crew were well fed and watered afterwards!
In his later years, Jeremy supported the RNLI in other ways, such as volunteering in the shop. Former Lifeboat Operations Manager Kevin Escott commented “Jeremy really was a part of the station family and helped us immensely. He was well loved for his outgoing personality and ability to chat to anyone”.
Sadly, Jeremy passed away in February this year following an illness. On Sunday, Jeremy’s wife Anna Connell, brother Bob and sister-in-law Deborah visited Minehead Lifeboat Station to hand over a very generous bequest of £15,045.21, meeting the crew and sharing stories from Jeremy’s life.
Anna commented “Jeremy’s family was quite dispersed, but he found a second family in the Lifeboat and loved the camaraderie. We are delighted that he can continue to contribute even after his passing and it’s wonderful to see how well the money is spent here”.
Jeremy’s legacy also includes a generous bequest to the local Air Ambulance presented earlier this month.
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.