Over 200 people attended Burnham-On-Sea RNLI’s annual ball on Saturday (5th October), which celebrated the 200th anniversary of the RNLI and raised over £4,000 at the same time.
The successful event was held at the Batch Country Hotel in Lympsham and included a formal meal and music from locl band Six Machine.
Event organiser Tim Johnson, who is also a D-class helmsman, says: “Thanks to everyone’s generosity, we raised over £4,000 to support life-saving work along our coastline, ensuring the RNLI can continue their vital efforts.”
“It was a fantastic evening, with incredible music by Six Machine, exceptional service from James, Abby and the team at Batch Country Hotel, plus a room full of wonderful supporters.”
The night included a special presentation to retired Senior Helm Nick Edrich in recognition of his dedicated service up to his retirement last year, along with the presentation of King’s Coronation Medals to qualifying crew members.
“A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to making the night a success, including the local businesses who donated auction and raffle prizes,” added Tim.
As the night drew to a close and the team were tidying up, the volunteers were tasked by Milford Haven Coastguard control at 12:32am to ready the lifeboat station for a potential launch. Luckily for the crew, they were stood down to return home to their beds.
Lifeboat Operations Manager Matt Davies added: “It was an amazing evening with so many supporters of the RNLI joining us to celebrate the RNLI’s 200th year.”
“We were pleased to be able to present King’s Coronation Medals to a number of the crew as well as a letter of thanks to previous Senior Helm Nick Edrich. Our thanks go to each and every person who dug deep to support our charity dedicated to saving lives at sea.”
