Exmouth RNLI fundraising team and crew volunteers celebrated a successful open day on 22 August. The lifeboat station opened its doors and welcomed supporters and visitors to tour the lifeboat station and the Shannon class lifeboat, R and J Welburn, and raised a staggering £1500, with the shop takings exceeding £800. 

Activity started early in preparing for the day’s events, with crew assisting the shop and fundraising teams to set up stalls. RNLI coastal safety team were on hand to give advise on safety at sea for boat users and water sports enthusiasts, they were joined by the Face2Face team who were available to discuss charity membership to the RNLI. Exmouth’s pilot gig club organised static rowing races, which were very popular and held a prize draw, Philip Gater from the club donated a cheque to the RNLI for £141.00 from funds they raised on the day. The fundraising team not only set up stalls, and sold teas and coffees, they spoke to the public about their role and the how donations help the charity that saves lives at sea. Crew volunteers wives and girlfriends set up their ‘Jazzy Jar’ stall and had  a lot of interest from the children.

The main attraction was the all-weather-lifeboat, the R and J Welburn, crew volunteers were on hand to show people around the boat and discuss her capabilities, as the queue for the lifeboat tour grew, Emma from the outside event team was on hand to occupy the children with the opportunity to join Storm Force. Whilst the all-weather lifeboat in the main hall drew a large crowd, the D class, George Bearman, was on the slipway with crew volunteers showing the public how they prepare the boat for a shout.

In the afternoon the D class lifeboat with crew volunteers aboard carried out a demonstration with the RNLI lifeguards and displayed the boats capabilities and how the inshore boat works with the lifeguards on recovering a person in the water. Then at 3.15pm the R and J Welburn launched to go to Dawlish air show, before heading out to sea, the Shannon class lifeboat demonstrated its manoeuvrability to the large crowd gathered on the beach.

The open day closed at 4pm, but fundraising volunteers and shore crew remained to talk to the public who were awaiting the return of the R and J Welburn to watch its recovery and return to station at 5.45pm.

To see more photos from the day taken by Simon Horn from the Exmouth Journal, please click here.