Arran RNLI launches Mayday Mile challenge
The RNLI has launched its annual Mayday campaign with the Mayday Mile challenge.
This helps to raise money for the rescue organisation which depends entirely on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service.
The Mayday Mile challenge calls on volunteers, supporters and fundraisers to set themselves a walking challenge during the month of May and to invite sponsors to donate to the challenge fundraiser. All successful participants who raise more than £55 will receive a special Mayday Mile medal.
With the busiest time of the year about to begin as summer approaches, the RNLI volunteers are prepared to, once again, drop everything to answer the call.
Abandoning haircuts mid-appointment, house moves, weddings and birthday parties, RNLI lifeboat crews accept the fact that some of life’s major milestones can be missed if the pager goes off.
But the volunteers are always there – and sometimes that ‘pager moment’ brings a little comedy to the serious task of getting to the lifeboat station.
And volunteers with the Arran RNLI have certainly had their fair share of ‘pager moments’.
Trainee helm Sam Bourne was just about to get his daughter’s fourth birthday party under way when the pager sounded for his very first shout.
It’s turned into a bit of a theme in his household as the pager went again just as the candles were lit on his own birthday cake this year.
Then there was the time helm Mark Johnson was giving some Arran school children a tour of the lifeboat station when he had to spring into action for real. How many future crew members were inspired that day?
And then, of course, who could forget the time the crew had been participating in some team building at a laser quest event when the pagers sounded. It must have been quite a sight for any passersby to see the crew arriving at the station and rushing into the station kitted out in green overalls and camouflage paint.
If anyone wishes to take on the challenge or wants to know how to help the RNLI and ‘answer the call’ then head to rnli. org/mayday and find out how to make a donation or even to hold a socially-distanced sponsored event, by visiting themaydaymile.rnli.org/ to donate directly.