Standard backs Floating Boathouse Appeal (From Maldon and Burnham Standard)

Standard backs Floating Boathouse Appeal

9:14am Monday 26th July 2010

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It is all hands on deck to try and get Burnham RNLI’s new floating boathouse.

The organisation faces an uphill struggle to reach its target of £130,000 for a new facility to house a new lifeboat, due to arrive at the station next year.

Now the Standard has jumped aboard to begin a campaign to help.

The money is needed to construct a new floating boathouse to be home to a new state-of-the-art lifeboat, the Atlantic 85.

To date, £82,695 has been raised by the appeal.

The new boat is expected to arrive in the town early next year, but Claire Rawlinson, of the local RNLI, stressed that the boat would not arrive without the boathouse being in place.

“The general community have been absolutely fantastic but I think it will be a miracle if we get to £130,000 by the start of the year at this stage,” she said.

The Atlantic 85, bought with major help from a £160,000 gift from an anonymous single donor, is one metre longer than the existing lifeboat and half a metre wider.

It will have space for an extra crew member, as an additional hand on deck in an emergency is always an advantage.

Residents have also contributed their own fundraising ideas, such as Hugh Bourn, who sold his photo prints of the area to add to the fund.

To add to the appeal, five crew members are preparing to scale the Yorkshire three peaks on August 14.

They are aiming to complete the 25-mile course inside the coveted 12 hours.

Donations can be made at justgiving.com/burnhamboathouseappeal and any amount is welcome.

The RNLI is a charity and does not get funding from any other source.

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