An enthusiastic group of pupils from Bede’s Preparatory School in Eastbourne have been busy raising funds for local charities and have presented a cheque for £676.03 to Eastbourne lifeboats.
The money was raised by a team who entered the Lions Swimathon last November. The event was held at the Sovereign Centre and the children swam for twenty minutes as many lengths as possible in this time. In total the team swam 476 lengths. The children were sponsored for each length and in all, over £800 was raised. 30% of the total money goes to the Eastbourne Lions Club local charities and 70% goes to the Schools chosen charity. Since the RNLI linked with both swimming and the schools close proximity to the sea, the children chose Eastbourne lifeboats as their favoured beneficiary. Swimming Coach Michelle Jebb said she was thrilled by the enthusiasm in which the children swam and indeed by the sponsorship money raised.
By way of a thank-you from the volunteer crew the children were given a conducted tour of the all-weather lifeboat station and the towns Tamar class lifeboat Diamond Jubilee by Coxswain Mark Sawyer before the cheque was presented to Lifeboat Operations Manager Paul Metcalfe. Mark commended the children for their marvellous effort and said that the generous donation will provide most of the required equipment for a new crewmember.
