We raised £1,700!

On behalf of the Sidmouth Branch of the RNLI I would like to thank everyone who contributed so generously to the street collection during the Boxing Day swim.

Clearly the unexpected break in the weather helped to bring out the crowds, as the total collected was a terrific £1,700.

I would also like to thank Sidmouth Regatta Committee for organising the event and the Sidmouth Lifeboat for providing safety cover for the swimmers.

It costs around £385,000 a day to run the RNLI, all of which is generously donated by the public. This might sound like a lot, but we think the 22 people rescued a day (on average) are worth it.

It receives no funding from the Government and is totally reliant on donations like this for its income – so a big thank you to everyone for your support in helping to keep the RNLI afloat.

Andrew Dean

Treasurer, RNLI Sidmouth Branch