Easiest to lift it from my RNLI facebook page...
This month I have the pleasure of nominating the charity to receive funds from eBid.net's monthly fund-raiser. I have chosen the Looe Lifeboat Appeal. Items will go on auction from 18.00hrs on Friday 23rd April 2010, for 7 days. The Looe appeal is in memory of Ollie Naismith - a great appeal, a great cause. Please come along (virtually) to the charity auctions at the end of the week and show your support.
RNLI launch charity appeal for new Looe inshore lifeboat
The RNLI is today (Monday 8 March 2010) launching a £31,000 appeal to pay for a new D class inshore lifeboat for Looe. The new lifeboat, which is due to arrive at the station in the Autumn, will be named in memory of 19 year old local man Ollie Naismith who died in a tragic car accident last December. His family are supporting the charity’s appeal, along with the town’s Mayor, Councillor Michael Joy who will pledge his support at his annual dinner on Friday (12 March).
A D class inshore lifeboat has served Looe since 1992 but the present one, Regina Mary, needs to be replaced. The new lifeboat will be of the very latest design and will be faster, fitted out with high-tech navigation equipment and an updated first aid kit, including oxygen. The appeal aims to raise the total amount needed to provide the lifeboat, its engine and all relevant equipment to help save lives at sea.
The D class lifeboat has been the workhorse of the RNLI for 40 years. It’s small and highly manoeuvrable, making it ideal for rescues close to shore in fair to moderate conditions. It has a single outboard engine and can be righted manually by the three crew following a capsize.
Dave Haines, RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager at Looe, says the D class lifeboat is a vital asset to the town and compliments the bigger Atlantic class lifeboat that the RNLI also base at Looe:
‘Looe and its surrounding coastline is extremely popular, especially in the summer months, and time and again the call outs we launch to prove the need for our two inshore lifeboats. Then of course there’s our fishing fleet to protect and the many leisure craft that journey past Looe between Fowey and Plymouth. This new D class inshore lifeboat will provide us with a valuable tool especially when it comes to rescues up the river in shallow water, and out amongst the rocks or at the foot of cliffs.’
The new lifeboat will be the last of the new D class design to arrive in the south west and will carry the name of the late Ollie Naismith. One of Ollie’s closest friends, Jamie Curtis is an RNLI volunteer at Looe and will be one of those who will crew the new lifeboat. Ollie’s mother, Maxine says it is a wonderful tribute to her much-loved son:
‘Ollie loved the sea and surfing and Jamie was one of his close friends. Ollie was full of life and would be amazed to see his name on a lifeboat. This will keep his memory alive for his Dad, sister and me and for his many friends in the community of Looe. Lots of people have asked if there will be some sort of memorial for Ollie following his tragic death, and now I can answer them by asking them to give financial support to this special appeal in Ollie’s name.’
Because it's going to a specific project I will need to collect the money myself, rather than use my Just Giving page. I'm investigating the most efficient way of doing that - since we want to avoid fees as much as possible, but also need to be aware that PayPal have said they're keeping an eye open for abuse of the Gift facility. Hope to do something with a donation button or somesuch! Will keep you posted.
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Originally Posted by lejoueurdepipeau
