Scarborough RNLI receives donation after Royal Navy veteran passes away

£700 was raised at the funeral of Chris Arundell

Author: Karen LiuPublished 6th Sep 2023

Scarborough RNLI has received a £700 doantion after a Royal Navy veteran who served during the Falklands conflict passed away earlier this year.

Chris Arundell's family approached the station shortly after his funeral, informing them that he was a huge supporter of Scarborough RNLI.

On Friday 18th August 2023, the Arundell family came to visit the lifeboathouse. As a tribute, the family requested for donations to Scarborough RNLI at his funeral and they presented a £700 cheque during their visit. Whilst at the lifeboat station, they were provided with a tour of the station by Lifeboat Operations Manager, Roger Buxton and Coxswain, Lee Marton.

Tracy Arundell shared: "My late husband, Christopher Arundell, came to Scarborough as a boy and always visited the RNLI. When we became a family he would always take myself, daughter Kelly, and son Charles to see the lifeboats at the RNLI.

"So when he passed away on 29th May 2023 asking for donations at his funeral for RNLI Scarborough seemed the right thing to do. It didn’t matter where we went on holiday, we always had time to visit the local RNLI. They had a special place in his heart."

Charles Arundell commented about the station visit: "My father was a Falklands War Veteran who had an intense love and respect for RNLI. Thank you so much for the tour, fantastic fish and chips recommendation, we thoroughly enjoyed it!"

Kelly Turner said: "Our father was a big supporter of Scarborough RNLI after serving in the Royal Navy. At his funeral, we asked for donations towards Scarborough RNLI."

Roger Buxton, Lifeboat Operations Manager, Scarborough RNLI responded with: "We would like to give the Arundell family a heartfelt thank you. The support and generosity from them and Chris’s friends are greatly appreciated, particularly during their time of grief. Their donation will enable Scarborough RNLI to continue saving lives at sea, and Chris’s parting gift will make a real difference.

"We are incredibly humbled to be thought of at such a difficult time for the family. Their kind gesture, along with the generosity of the funeral attendees enabled the family to provide a donation of £700 to Scarborough RNLI. We would like to thank everyone who contributed and we will ensure that these funds assist in continuing our lifesaving work for the Scarborough community, in memory of a fellow seafarer.

"Fair winds and following seas as you cross the bar Chris. Thank you for supporting Scarborough RNLI."

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