Portpatrick Lifeboat
week this year starts on Sunday August 1st, and continues through to Saturday August 7th 2010.
But first, a little history of the event, then scroll down to 2 links [One for the Event Programme,
and the other for the latest News from Portpatrick's RNLI Branch!]
Portpatrick's Annual RNLI Fund Raising efforts began around 1977.
Initially, it was just a WEEKEND of events that were arranged by the
local RNLI members and friends/families.
These
events were organised to coincide with the annual 'Glasgow Fair' holidays, when the village population
increased greatly!
In the early
1980s, the Crew, Committee, Ladies Guild, families and helpers decided to increase this weekend of events
to a full week, and LIFEBOAT WEEK was born!
The idea was conceived by Robert Erskine [Awarded the MBE in 2009, and retired in April 2010!]
Enjoy your retirement Robert & Mary!!
Robert, who was our Coxswain/Mechanic until April 2010, was the 'Driving Force' behind our fund raising
efforts.
Over the
years, this particular week in PORTPATRICK's calendar has become increasingly popular, and it is now the busiest week
of the year for this lovely village.
We
like to think that EVERYBODY benefits from our LIFEBOAT WEEK!
Our aim of course, is to raise as much money as possible for our Lifeboat
Institution, and I feel that we certainly have excelled at this!
[Over recent years, we have raised between £25,000 & £30,000
annually for the RNLI], which is 'pretty good' for such a small village!
In fact I reckon that we are either 3rd or 4th in the 'Scottish League', so I think that this '1000 soul community
can be justly PROUD!]
This is
all due to the generosity of you folks out there, who come year on year, to support us, and have made it Portpatrick's
busiest week of the year for the last several years!
On behalf of the PORTPATRICK LIFEBOAT MANAGEMENT GROUP, CREW, SHOP/MUSEUM Staff and Family helpers...
OUR SINCERE THANKS FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!
