News about RNLI Donaghadee

Lifeboat S.O.S. Day - 15th Jan 2012

As part of  the RNLI’s biggest fundraising day, the Donaghadee lifeboat fundraising team are organising a Quiz in the Joe Patterson Room  at the Meadowbank Social Club on Thursday 26th January at 8pm.

Teams of six at £5 per person will enjoy supper and a great night’s craic with Tommy Fulton asking the questions. So why not come along and support your local volunteer lifeboat crew.

Cabaret/Dance - 9th March 2012

Cabaret/Dance With Tribute artist Stacey Stewart,
Donaghadee Golf Club Friday 9th March.

Santa to the Rescue - 20th Nov 2011

Donaghadee lifeboat shop supervisor Aileen Smyth was all at sea when she found her stock of RNLI Christmas cards was getting perilously low.

But help was at hand in the shape of Santa Claus who made a special trip from Lapland and came to her rescue with a sack full of great cards to keep all the customers happy. Aileen and her team of volunteers are manning the shop from 2 to 5 pm, seven days a week up to Christmas, and have a great selection of gifts for all the family. So why not visit our little shop and support the charity that saves lives at sea.

Clay pigeon club make presentation to lifeboat in memory of secretary - 13th Nov 2011

Derryboye clay pigeon club recently held a target clay pigeon shoot to raise money in memory of their secretary Diane Hunter who sadly passed away earlier this year.

Diane was a strong supporter of Donaghadee lifeboat so the club members decided that all monies raised on the day should be donated to the lifeboat.

Giles Duncan, the club secretary, said that over 150 clay enthusiasts turned up on the day and with the entry fee and a ballot the club were delighted to have raised £1500.  He also wished to thank the Valley Hotel, Park Avenue Hotel, Malmaison Hotel and Ulster Weavers for their support.

Pictured presenting the cheque for £1500 to coxswain Philip McNamara and crew members is club chairman Chris Henry and members of the club.

Donaghadee lifeboat escorts new Tamar lifeboat into Portpatrick - 6th November 2011

Last Monday evening saw “The John Buchanan Barr”, a Tamar class RNLI lifeboat, arrive in Donaghadee harbour after a 500 mile trip from RNLI headquarters in Poole.

The lifeboat was on the last stages of its journey to its new home in Portpatrick. The Tamar is one of the latest and most technologically advanced in the RNLI fleet.

The crew stayed as guests of Donaghadee lifeboat overnight before setting out for home on Tuesday morning in their new boat with flags and bunting flying bravely in a strong wind. They were escorted over to Portpatrick by Saxon and welcomed in to their home harbour by the current boat “The Mary Irene Millar “which will stay for a few days during the handover.

Andy Ross of Lochryan Pipe Band, piped in the vessel which is named after a distinguished GP who died in 2003 at the age of 93, he was a major in the Royal Army Medical Corps and was awarded the MBE for distinguished services in North Africa.

Dr Barr and his wife Catherine, who lived in Bearsden, Glasgow, had no children. They had struck up a bond with the RNLI after they started visiting Portpatrick and Catherine who died in 2008 at the age of 98, requested that a legacy gift should be left to the charity for a new boat named after her husband.

Coxswain Quentin McKie said he was privileged to be in charge of the new lifeboat and that it was a great honour for Portpatrick to have this boat and to have this magnificent legacy.

Click images to enlarge

Lifeboat website a big hit with Centra - 3rd November 2011

Donaghadee lifeboat website www.donaghadeelifeboat.co.uk continues to go from strength to strength with the support of local supermarket Centra.

The website which was set up to promote the Centenary last year has continued to be a great source of information on all aspects of the lifeboat. During the last year the site has had over six thousand five hundred and fifty visitors.

Gwen Patterson of Centra is a strong supporter of the lifeboat and as well as sponsoring the website also supported the activities of the fund raising team at this years Festival and Golf day.

Without the financial support of local companies like Gwen’s the lifeboat would struggle to maintain the high standards it sets itself in training and equipping its volunteer crews to save lives at sea.

Lady golfers supporting lifeboat - 28th October 2011

Donaghadee golf club’s Lady Captain Christine Kennedy is pictured presenting a cheque for £640 to lifeboat press officer Peter Alcock.The money was raised by the ladies branch when they held their annual lifeboat day competition earlier in the year.

Music to shop by with the RNLI - 23rd October 2011

Enjoy a little light music while you’re shopping? Well the fundraisers at Donaghadee lifeboat have just the evening for you.

They have organised a Winter Collections shopping evening with local retailers Kate Boyd from Dunn’s Footwear and Wendy  Currie from Copeland Antiques.

A little light “Music from the Shows” will be performed by Chique Musique during the evening along with supper. The venue is the Joe Patterson room at the Meadowbank Club on Thursday 3rd November at 7.30pm.
Why not come along to shop for yourself or even get those Christmas presents sorted early while at the same time supporting your local Lifeboat.

Tickets £5 are available from Dunn’s Footwear, Copeland Antiques and the Lifeboat shop.

Sir Samuel Kelly memorabilia presented to lifeboat - 17th October 2011

Last Sunday members of the family of the late Jim Armstrong gathered at Donaghadee Sailing Club along with members of Donaghadee lifeboat and the  club to make a presentation to the lifeboat.

Jim served for many years on the lifeboat and was station mechanic at the time of the Princess Victoria disaster. He received The Thanks of the RNLI on Vellum for the excellent work he carried out during the rescue of thirty three survivors. On his retirement he also received a long service certificate.

Rex Armstrong, his nephew, who now lives in Belfast wanted his uncle’s two framed awards to come back to Donaghadee  as part of the station’s history. He is pictured presenting the awards to Philip McNamara, lifeboat coxswain, with other now retired members of the crew who served with Jim on the Kelly. Also in the photograph is Hugh Nelson who is the last surviving member of the crew of the Kelly who took part in the rescue. He served alongside his father Hugh who was coxswain on that fateful day back in 1953.

Philip said he was delighted to accept the awards as they were a part of the station’s history, and went on to say that the shape and size of lifeboats may have changed but the men and women who serve in them stay committed to saving lives at sea.

Hugh Nelson, Willie Lennon, Murdoch Bennett, Philip McNamara, Walker Simpson, Rex Armstrong. Arthur Arbuckle.	Hugh Nelson and Philip McNamara receiving awards from Rex Armstrong.	Crew members  accepting awards from Rex Armstrong.

Donaghadee lifeboat a winner on Captain’s Day - 15th September 2011

Club Captain Robert McIlwaine is pictured presenting a cheque for £304 to lifeboat operations manager Alan Couser. Robert nominated the local lifeboat as his charity for his big day. Alan said he was delighted to accept the cheque on behalf of the lifeboat and in thanking Robert assured him that the money would go to train and equip local lifeboat volunteers in saving lives at sea.

Lifeboat Golf Day Goes with a Swing - 9th September 2011

Early starters at the Donaghadee lifeboat golf day which took place last Thursday started in heavy rain but fortunately this soon cleared away and a sunny day was enjoyed by over ninety golfers competing for some great prizes and raising money for the RNLI.

Pictured are Neale Jenkins and Alan Couser presenting prizes to the men’s winner Neal Stewart and ladies winner Julie Kerr and runner up Eleanor Alcock.

Full results were Men’s winner Neal Stewart 44points,George Heaney 42 points, Trevor O’Rorke 41 points, best gross Darren Adams 69.Ladies winner Julie Kerr 33 points,runner up Eleanor Alcock 31 points. Men’s longest drive Andrew Girvan, Ladies’ longest drive Linda Crawford. The winner of the Rory McIlroy shirt was Billy McKeag.

Helping Neale and Alan organise the day were June Trimble,Callum Jenkins and Peter Alcock. The event raised £1,920 and the RNLI are grateful to the club and staff for their support, and a special thanks to Roy Butler of Ballywhisken camping and camping park for sponsoring the day.