Redcar RNLI field strong team at Middlebrough FC match

The Redcar RNLI lifeboat station is Middlebrough FC’s charity of the year, and before the crunch Championship match against Derby County crew members and fundraisers will be outside the stadium when they hold a bucket collection.

Also at the stadium will be the charity’s own mascot Stormy Stan, who will be in the Family Zone to meet young fans.

Dave Cocks, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Redcar RNLI, will be at the stadium collecting. Dave says: ‘This is a fantastic opportunity for fans to meet some of our volunteer crew members and fundraisers and to put a few pounds in the collecting buckets.

‘As a charity we rely almost entirely on donations and legacies. Our lifeboats are regularly involved in incidents right outside the stadium on the River Tees, and this is a great chance for the Boro and visiting fans to show their support by making a donation.’

Dave adds: ‘All the money we raise on Saturday will be used at Redcar to help fund our life-saving work.’

As well as the fundraising effort, the football club will be helping to spread some of the RNLI’s key water safety messages. The matchday programme will contain useful tips and advice on how to stay safe near and in the sea, and on the big screen inside the ground there will be a powerful video promoting the RNLI’s FLOAT campaign. This urges anyone who falls into cold water to fight their instinct to swim hard and to fight the cold water, and instead to do as little as possible, and float.

Dave Cocks says: ‘Around 190 people lose their lives at the UK and Irish coasts each year – over half never planned to enter the water. Sudden immersion in cold water can cause cold water shock, triggering an instinctive reaction to gasp and swim hard.

‘Research shows over half of people would follow this potentially life-threatening instinct if they fell into water, with most saying they would try to swim. We want people to know the recommended immediate action to take should they fall into cold water unexpectedly.’

Dave adds: ‘Sadly, one of the most vulnerable groups is young men up to the age of 35 years-old, many of whom might be football fans like those at the Riverside on Saturday. This is a huge opportunity for us to spread our vital safety messages to a key group of people.’