Eastbourne RNLI lifeboats were delighted to welcome the inspirational Phil Packer to the inshore lifeboat station this week as part of his 2012 mile challenge. In company with lifeboat crew and representatives from Eastbourne fire fighters, Phil walked 10 miles up and down Eastbourne seafront.
Phil Packer was an army Major who was injured in Iraq in 2008. He suffered spinal injuries and was told by specialists that he would never walk again. He entered the London marathon in his wheelchair but ended up walking as some feeling had returned to his legs. It took him 2 weeks and he raised over £1 million for the ‘Help the Heroes’ charity. Since then he has climbed El Capitan and has rowed the English Channel. He also walked the three peaks with Kate Silverstone for Comic Relief. He has received Sports Personality of the Year, Pride of Britain and was honoured with an MBE.
This year he has turned his attention to helping young people who face adversity and is promoting his charity by walking 2012 miles around the UK. He has spent the last year partnering various charities and is aiming to build a centre in West Sussex for young people requiring help. He has many famous mentors who have pledged their support who will visit the centre to help inspire these young people - Jamie Oliver, Brian Turner, Jenson Button to name but a few, he will also support them through training and employment. The charity is called British Inspiration Trust (BRIT) which is backed by many people including Richard Branson and David Cameron.
Phil Packer's website is www.philpacker.com and the BRIT website is www.britishinspirationtrust.org.uk
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
The Eastbourne RNLI Fundraising Branch is desperately seeking a Treasurer & new committee members.
If you'd like to volunteer for any aspect of the RNLI's fundraising work, or would like more information please join me for a chat, in the comfortable surroundings of the Langham Hotel, Royal Parade, EASTBOURNE, any time between 10.00hrs and 17.00hrs on Saturday 28th January 2012.
Alternatively please telephone 01323 735 970
or email: dlegg80@gmail.com
Derek Legg.
Dick Guy, senior member of Eastbourne lifeboat’s shore based team, has been presented with a bar to add to his existing long service badge to commemorate nearly 40 years continuous voluntary service which spans three generations of lifeboats in the town.
Dick, who works for local firm Alfa Laval, volunteered to join Eastbourne RNLI’s lifeboat crew in 1974 and followed in the footsteps of his father who served in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. When Dick first joined, both boats were based at Fisherman’s Green and the then allweather lifeboat was the Watson class ‘Beryl Tollemache’. In those days launching an all weather lifeboat (ALB) was a much more complicated and labour intensive operation than it is today involving up to 15 volunteers. Over the years Dick progressed to senior launcher until operations were transferred to Sovereign Harbour in 2003. With Dick’s encouragement both his sons (pictured with Operations Manager Paul Metcalfe) also joined the service; Dan is now full time mechanic and a deputy coxswain and Tim a volunteer crewman aboard the ALB.
Tragedy inspires help for Eastbourne’s new lifeboat appeal
Tragedy hit a local family in 1982 When 13 year old Simon Staples and his step father were swept out to sea by huge waves whilst checking the sea defences at their house in Hartfield road on Cooden Beach during a severe gale. Donald Adams was dragged ashore but Simon drowned despite the best efforts of the volunteers aboard Eastbourne lifeboat, local Coastguard officers and an RAF helicopter.
In memory of his brother, Martin Adams who witnessed the tragedy as an 11 year old, has volunteered his services to Eastbourne new lifeboat appeal. Martin, now a successful businessman, has volunteered to supply and distribute appeal leaflets to households throughout the area using his specialist team M.A.Distribution from Hailsham, with some of the printing being donated by Eastbourne based firm Manor Creative. So far 60,000 leaflets have been produced and already donations are flowing is as a direct result.
At an emotional visit to Eastbourne lifeboat station Martin was shown archive news releases of the event along with station records and photographs of the launch of the then Rother class lifeboat Duke of Kent.
A lifeboat appeal spokesman said we are always looking for volunteers to help raise funds for our new lifeboat and as Martin has proved, that help doesn’t always mean directly parting with cash; sometimes practical help such as this is just as beneficial. We are very grateful to M.A.Distribution (Martin’s company) and Manor Creative for their support.
Local firm HMD Seal-less Pumps has donated £300 to Eastbourne RNLI’s
new lifeboat appeal.
Company representative Michelle Rideout presented the cheque to Lifeboat Operations Manager Paul Metcalfe at Eastbourne lifeboat station after Sunday’s crew meeting. The money was donated from the company’s charity fund.
Local tree surgeons PJ Chaffin Ltd donated their equipment and personnel last weekend to environmentally dispose of unwanted Christmas trees in aid of Eastbourne new lifeboat appeal.
The event held at the inshore lifeboat station at Fisherman’s Green was organised by Chaffin manager and volunteer lifeboat crewman Richard Larmour, all trees were chipped for recycling into fuel to be used in power stations. No charge was made for the service but people were invited to contribute to the appeal, many doing so without even having a tree to recycle. One hardy couple carried their heavy tree all the way from the bandstand in order to bolster the fund. Eastbourne lifeboats thanks all involved for their support.
Members of the Sovereign Harbour Berth Holders Association brought some seasonal cheer to the crew of RNLI Eastbourne when they presented them with a selection of Christmas treats after Sunday’s training exercise.
The Inn on the Park at Downland Wood Park, Golden Cross have raised another £1000 to add to the £3000 already donated toward Eastbourne RNLI’s new lifeboat appeal.
The Inn on The Park started fundraising for Eastbourne lifeboats in January 2011 when they organised a lifeboat SOS night. Following the success of that event Mr Wellbelove, who has supported the RNLI as a governor for 30 years, along with his wife, regular customers and supporters have been regularly raising an average of £250 per month with their weekly raffles.
The latest presentation was made to lifeboat coxswain Mark Sawyer at the Sunday carvery where he thanked all concerned for their continued support. Mark was delighted to receive the cheque and was able to confirm that the build of the new Tamar class lifeboat was on target and is scheduled to be available for crew training early next year.
Students and carers from the National Centre for Young People with Epilepsy (NCYPE) visited RNLI Eastbourne this week to present a cheque toward the new Tamar lifeboat appeal
The students had visited RNLI Eastbourne’s inshore lifeboat station at Fisherman’s Green in September as part of a project encompassing the seaside and people who help others. After a guided tour of the station and learning that an appeal had been launched to raise funds for a new Tamar class all weather lifeboat for the town they were keen to show their support in a practical way. Since then the students have been busy making gift tags which they have been selling to friends and supporters and managed to raise £100 which was presented to the station this week.
Picture shows Young Epilepsy students and carers presenting cheque to
Paul Metcalfe Lifeboat Operations Manager and Coxswain Mark Sawyer.
In the company of the Mayor and accompanied by musicians from the Salvation Army, local residents and supporters joined with the crew of Eastbourne lifeboats in a celebration of Christmas with a carol service on the Waterfront at Sovereign Harbour.
Despite the wintery conditions many people braved the elements to join the crew of Eastbourne lifeboats singing carols and listening to stories at Sovereign Harbour. Coffee and mince pies, kindly donated by DeLieto’s restaurant, were served to the congregation afterwards with a bucket collection in aid of the new lifeboat appeal raising much appreciated funds.
Eastbourne RNLI’s new inshore lifeboat
‘Laurence & Percy Hobbs’ was officially named by members of the benefactors family at a dedication service held on the beach at Fisherman’s Green on Wednesday afternoon (8 Dec).
The new inshore lifeboat was funded from a generous legacy from Louise Hobbs who sadly passed away in 1999, aged 96 years; she bequeathed part of her estate to Eastbourne RNLI lifeboat station. The legacy was for the specific purpose of funding a replacement for their D-class inshore lifeboat (ILB) when it reached the end of its serviceable life.
Members of Louise’s family braved the chilling wind on the beach outside the inshore lifeboat station to join the volunteer crew and local dignitaries in a ceremony of dedication where Mrs Margaret Rapp, niece of Miss Hobbs, officially christened the new boat with the traditional bottle of Champagne. Afterwards the party retired to the relative warmth of the boathouse for tea and cakes.
As part of an Eastbourne Real Ale and Arts Festival held at the Crown & Anchor over the weekend a light hearted tug of war was held on the beach between the university boxing and rugby teams with a bucket collection for Eastbourne’s new lifeboat appeal.
Fielding a distinctly light-weight albeit energetic team the boxers were overwhelmed by their heavier opponents. The general consensus however was that a good time was had by all with Eastbourne lifeboats gratefully benefiting from the proceeds.
Support for Eastbourne’s new lifeboat appeal was extended into Surrey this weekend
with a generous donation of £1000 being presented from Sutton based Masonic Lodge 6245
The cheque presentation took place after the Sunday crew meeting at the all weather lifeboat station on Sovereign Harbour
where senior lodge members handed over the cheque to members of the volunteer crew.
The money was raised in memory of John Stevens by his friends and colleagues after losing his battle with cancer in 2009. John and his wife Olive regularly travelled to Eastbourne and had always admired the work of the RNLI and made the Lifeboat Museum on the seafront one of their regular stopping points whilst enjoying the sea air. The contribution toward the town’s new Tamar class all weather lifeboat was considered to be a fitting tribute to mark John’s passing.
Pier event raises funds for Eastbourne’s new lifeboat appeal
Eastbourne pier was home to a spectacular 24hr fund raising event over last weekend (12/13th Nov) which included an unlikely mix of hair styling, exotic dancing and angling
The event, hosted in the prestigious Ocean Suite at the end of Eastbourne pier featured celebrity hairdresser Jal Clarke who held a 24hr hair styling marathon with entertainment supplied throughout the event by actor/singer Leigh Baker, producer/singer Dar-ra, teenage crooner Tom Fitzpatrick and local dance group Street Styles 4 All.
Meanwhile hardy souls Arran Aghili and Karl Gatward did a 24hr sponsored fish from the end of the pier. Additional fish donated by Azim Noormohammed, who had obtained sponsorship to catch 40 Sea Bass, was added to the catch and auctioned by local personality ‘Hedgehog’. The entire event collected over £1300 towards the Eastbourne New Lifeboat Appeal’s target of £700,000. RNLI Eastbourne thanks all who contributed to the success of the event and for the town’s continued support.
Eastbourne New Lifeboat Appeal hosted a reception at the Town Hall on Monday evening (31 Oct) where local dignitaries and supporters had the opportunity to view an exhibition of recent rescues, meet the crew and receive an update on build progress of the new Tamar class lifeboat which is on target to be completed early next year.
Following a formal welcome and introduction from Dr Colin McKee, Chairman of the Lifeboat Management Group, presentations were given by Lou Purdy RNLI area fund raising representative and lifeboat Coxswain Mark Sawyer. In reply, the Mayor of Eastbourne, Councillor Mrs Carolyn Heaps, said the entire town valued the commitment and bravery of the volunteer crew and she felt certain that townspeople, despite the challenging economic climate, would rise to the challenge of raising the £700,000 shortfall in funding of the new lifeboat.
During the course of the evening the appeal received a boost from the Captains of Royal Eastbourne Golf Club when Kenneth and Yvonne Macdonald presented a cheque for £1000 to Dr Colin McKee to add to the £4500 they had donated earlier in the year collected from events they have hosted during their year of joint captaincy
The RNLI Eastbourne Lifeboat Appeal
A new, state-of-the-art lifeboat to be named 'Diamond Jubilee'
For information on the new state of the art lifeboat please click here
Eastbourne lifeboats have officially launched their new appeal to raise funds towards the cost of their new
Tamar class all-weather lifeboat which is currently under construction and due for completion in the spring of 2012.
The appeal got off to a flying start with the presentation of a handsome cheque for almost £5000 from Eastbourne Hospitality Association who had nominated Eastbourne lifeboats as one of the charities to benefit from collections made at this summer’s Airbourne display. Dr. Colin McKee, Chairman of Eastbourne Lifeboats Management Group, and Lifeboat Operations Manager Paul Metcalfe received the cheque from Marco Giorgi, Chairman of Eastbourne Hospitality Association along with Deputy Mayor Councillor Mike Thompson at Monday’s launch.
Following the presentation Dr McKee praised the people of Eastbourne for their continued support and announced that due to their generosity much of the funding for the new boat was already in place. He continued, “A shortfall of £700,000 still exists however and that is the target we have set ourselves for this current appeal, we are confident that the good people of Eastbourne will help us achieve this figure by the end of 2012.”
The lifeboat appeal team will issue regular updates, progress reports and ways to contribute throughout the coming months in the local media the station website and also on Twitter and Facebook
Eastbourne RNLI volunteers look forward to a new,
state-of-the-art lifeboat for 2012
Volunteer lifeboat crew members in Eastbourne are delighted after receiving the news that they’re set to receive a new ally in the fight to save lives at sea.
Crew members, shore helpers and the entire lifeboat community are thrilled at the announcement that the station, which has had more than 118 emergency callouts already this year, has been allocated the latest class of lifeboat, the Tamar.
The Tamar is a state-of-the-art lifeboat and the most advanced vessel in the entire RNLI fleet. At a cost of £3.3M, it hosts a wealth of new, superior technology, including suspension seats to protect crew in severe weather conditions. It also boasts an advanced onboard computer system, which allows complex tasks, such as engine and navigation management, to be carried out from flat LCD screens situated at the crew’s seats. This feature means that, in extreme conditions, the volunteer crew can monitor and operate the vessel without any of them leaving the relative safety of their seats, but equally the vessel will remain fully functional in the event of the system going down.
Paul Metcalfe, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Eastbourne RNLI,said:
‘The crew and I were aware that the station was earmarked for a new lifeboat
at some point in the future, but we were thrilled to be told that we are receiving a Tamar class lifeboat.
‘The new £3.3M Tamar lifeboat will replace the current Mersey class lifeboat, The Royal Thames, which has served us well since 1993 and has launched on hundreds of rescue missions during her operational lifetime’.
‘We will also need to construct a mooring pontoon within Sovereign Harbour to berth the new lifeboat alongside and to assist with refuelling and allow for electrical power on board, so this is a really exciting new development for Eastbourne RNLI.’
The Tamar, which was brought into the RNLI fleet in 2007, also carries a
Y-class inflatable daughter craft, which is housed in a recessed area in the Tamar’s stern. This allows the crew to access shallow water and navigate in closer quarters where a rescue demands it. The Tamar is capable of speeds of up to 25 knots and is the result of several years of research and development
by the RNLI to produce the next generation of both afloat and
slipway launched lifeboats.
Thanks to the generosity of lifetime RNLI supporter and Shoreline member Louise Hobbs, the volunteer crew at Eastbourne lifeboat station have welcomed a brand new inshore lifeboat to their ranks.
First launch of new ILB
When Louise sadly passed away in 1999, aged 96 years, she bequeathed part of her estate to Eastbourne RNLI lifeboat station. The legacy was for the specific purpose of funding a replacement for their D-class inshore lifeboat (ILB)
when it reached the end of its serviceable life.
The new £39,000 lifeboat, Laurence and Percy Hobbs, is named after Louise’s father, Laurence John Hobbs, and brother Percy, neither of whom are alive today. The lifeboat replaces the old D-class inshore lifeboat Joan & Ted Wiseman 50, which has been on station since August 2003.
Ronald Hamlin, 92, is the nephew of Louise Hobbs. He said: ‘My aunt Louise was the youngest daughter of Laurence and his wife Eleanor. Laurence – my grandfather – was a merchant seaman, but beyond that there was no other family connection to the sea or the work of the RNLI. I gather Louise was just a great admirer of the life saving the RNLI does. Oddly enough, my own wife used to help fundraise for the lifeboats back when she was a young girl in Grimsby.’
He continued: ‘Although she did not hail from Eastbourne, Louise moved to the town in later life with another of my aunts, Martha. I can only assume she used to see and hear about the town’s lifeboats launching and just had a great admiration for the crews and love for the town, hence she decided to leave a donation specifically for Eastbourne RNLI.’
Eastbourne lifeboats now have a Twitter feed
Supporters can now follow the activities of Eastbourne lifeboats at rnlieastbourne as they happen simply by ‘following’ the station from the Twitter link.
As soon as the crew pagers go off Twitter will give regular updates on the rescue to be followed up in the usual way with a detailed news release which will be added to the station and RNLI websites and distributed to the media in the usual way.
http://twitter.com/rnlieastbourne
