A BAND of dedicated fundraisers has helped raise more than £12,500 for a vital service which saves lives at sea.

Faced with Covid-19, the 26-strong Workington RNLI Lifeboat fundraisers, aged 18 to 80, feared the charity would suffer ­— as many others have ­— as lockdowns and restrictions made fundraising difficult.

Workington RNLI is on call 24/7 and has continued to be so during the pandemic ­— since March, 2020, its all-weather lifeboat the Dorothy May White has launched 22 times and helped 30 people, while its inshore lifeboat, Sir John Mortimer, has launched 16 times, saved one life and helped 12 people.

The RNLI is a charity and relies on donations ­— and the work of the volunteer fundraisers is integral.

Fundraising chairman Catherine Courtney said: “There’s no doubt it has been a challenge for us ­— like it has for all the other charities out there.

“We believe we have risen to the challenge and we are grateful to people who have continued to support us during what have been tough times for everyone.

“The costs of operating Workington’s two lifeboats and station have remained the same, and the lifeboats have been on call 24/7 throughout.

“Our efforts have been limited but we’ve managed to continue - and we cannot thank our supporters enough.”

In April, Connor McKay completed a fundraising walk from Walls End in Newcastle across Hadrian’s Wall to Workington RNLI Lifeboat.

He completed 121 miles in 38 hours and raised £2,134.50.

Catherine added: “It’s people like Connor who put themselves out for the charity who we rely on. We are immensely proud of his achievements.”

The fundraisers were also directly affected by the impact of Covid-19 on the global supply chain ­— a new fundraising bid by the group, begun in October, 2020, finally started making money in May.

The fundraisers ordered 50 RNLI bears from China to sell, but they disappeared on a seven-month world tour.

Catherine said: “Their journey started in China, then they were in quarantine and then in various warehouses finally arriving at the lifeboat station on May 12 ­— we sold them in a matter of days!”

The fundraisers are also now regulars at Workington market on Wednesdays.

Catherine added: “This was thanks to the support of Allerdale Borough Council. This has enabled us to fundraise safely outdoors. The people of West Cumbria are very generous in their support buying books,CDs,DVDs, bric a brac, and souvenirs.”

And Catherine thanked Cockermouth’s Norham House Coffee Shop for its ongoing support.

It has supported the RNLI for several years and this year, hosted two events for the lifeboat, plus continues to sell souvenirs, Christmas cards and calendars.

Workington Ladies Golf Competition took place in September for the Lifeboat Shield. They raised a good amount of money and bought a lot of Christmas cards and souvenirs.

Five committee members - Gill Parry Jones, Pat Smith, Lea Young, Joan Kirkwood McDowell and Shirley Hogan - received their long service medals during 2021.

Tim Chittenden, lifeboat operations manager at Workington Lifeboat Station, said: “The RBLI charity and the crew of the Workington Lifeboats are enormously grateful for the hard work and long hours of the fundraisers without which the organisation would not be able to continue its mission of saving lives at sea.

“It has been particularly difficult recently because of COVID but with their assistance we have been able to maintain a 24 hour, 365 day, service for all those people who enjoy the Cumbrian coast and inshore waters. We can’t thank them enough.”