Mystery donor boosts RNLI appeal

The mystery donor urged people to help support Shoreham lifeboat crews

The £1m appeal to build a new RNLI lifeboat station in Shoreham, West Sussex, has been given a major boost by a mystery donor.

A woman from Sussex, who wishes to remain anonymous, gave the charity £100,000, taking the total it has received up to £250,000 mark.

The current Shoreham boathouse, which was built in 1933, is now too small and gets flooded in high tide.

In a letter the donor said she was impressed by the crew's dedication.

She said she decided to make the donation after she took a trip out on the Shoreham lifeboat and met the volunteers.

'Save lives'

The letter read: "We are all busy people, but for some reason the volunteer crews still give up their own time and go to sea, without any financial reward, and consistently put their own lives at risk.

"And what for? Not to save the lives of their own loved ones or people they know. It is to save the lives of people they have never met before and, chances are, will never meet again.

It added: "Therefore I am delighted to be able to make a substantial gift to the appeal. I would urge everyone to make a donation if they can, no matter what size."

RNLI appeal manager Tracey Harris said: "Schools, businesses and local people have all thrown their support behind the appeal and this is a really important and impressive milestone.

"We're well on the way towards reaching the target for the appeal."

The new lifeboat station will have a larger boat hall, a crew training room, proper drying and crew changing facilities, and a viewing platform for the public.