Fundraiser is no dummy!
The Redcar lifeboat has received a financial boost, thanks to the ingenuity of an avid fundraiser from Thirsk, North Yorkshire. Dorothy Reveley works for Jean's Hairdressers in the market town, and came up with the idea of a dummy lifeboatman which sat outside the hairdressers collecting funds for the RNLI at Redcar and Whitby. Rigged up with a length of string, the lifeboat dummy would wave at passers-by, encouraging them to make a donation.

Before long Dorothy and her homemade helper had raised an amazing £1151, divided equally between the two RNLI stations. Dorothy has raised many thousands of pounds for local charities and was inspired to begin collecting for the RNLI after a former Redcar crewmember did some work for her brother.

Dorothy and her homemade lifeboatman visited the Redcar lifeboat station recently to hand over her donation. Pictured is Dorothy with (left to right) crewmember Cameron Bond, Redcar RNLI sea safety officer Tony Jamieson, RNLI treasurer Peter Haslett and crewmembers Eddie Ransom and Steve Atkinson.

...first published 12 Oct 2008