Looe RNLI fundraisers awarded for combined 50 years of service
Marilyn Berry and Ann Watson both started life with the Lifeboats raising vital funds to help save lives at sea
Marilyn Berry and Ann Watson from Looe's lifeboat station have been commended for their long service raising vital money to save lives at sea.
The pair have been volunteering with the RNLI for a combined 50 years.
On Saturday (Aug 24), the charity's president - John Trethewey - surprised them with Long Service Awards during a busy book sale outside the Albatross boathouse.
As a fully independent charity organisation, the RNLI relies on donations to fund its life saving work.
Looe lifeboat crew are on call 24/7. To carry out their mission of saving lives at sea, they require well maintained equipment, lifeboats, shore equipment and ongoing training.
Marilyn first volunteered as a fundraiser for Looe RNLI back in 1993, the first full year of operation after the inshore lifeboat station was re-established.
Marilyn remembers that the D Class was housed in the shelter and a portacabin on the seafront, so the fundraisers met at the Toc-H hall on the Millpool.
They had to wait until 1998 for a purpose built souvenir shop to be opened on Middleton’s corner.
Before then, Marilyn recalls the fundraising branch made use of empty shops over the winter periods to sell Christmas cards and calendars. Whilst Marilyn has recently stepped down as branch secretary after 27 years in the role she continued to be the main organiser of this year’s summer concert programme.
Ann has been an active member of Looe’s fundraising branch for over 23 years, alongside her late husband Laurie. Ann has twice been our fundraising branch chair and in each tenure she was the driving force behind both of our successful lifeboat appeals which bought the Ollie Naismith and Ollie Naismith II D Class inshore lifeboats to Looe.
Ann is also a member of Looe Boat Owners Association who have been raising valuable funds over several years for Looe RNLI by organising the town’s annual raft race.
Presenting Marilyn with her 30 year RNLI badge and Ann her 20 year RNLI medal, John Trethewey praised Marilyn and Ann for their dedication to the RNLI and Looe Lifeboat Station.
He thanked them for their commitment and amazing fundraising successes. Along with their long service awards, he presented Marilyn and Ann with presents and flowers, as a token of the station’s appreciation for their incredible achievements over many years.