Lyme lifeboat week kicked off last weekend

The event regularly raises more than £40,000 for the lifesaving charity and was officially opened on Saturday (July 23) by Lyme landlord Tom Littledyke who has taken two convoys of aid to Ukraine and is currently planning a third.

Lyme Regis landlord, Tom Littledyke, partner Georgia and crew from the Lyme Regis Lifeboat service. (Image: Richard Horobin.)

Tom, 31, was interviewed as part of the opening ceremony by former BBC TV South reporter Chris Coneybeer and explained the dangers he and other volunteers faced and the many types of humanitarian aid they took to the war zone.

A big crowd joined in the event outside the lifeboat station and listened – and laughed as Tom told of the convoy’s mascot teddy bear which was attacked by some Ukrainians when he joked that the bear’s nickname was Putin.

Tom Littledyke, local landlord arrived at Lyme Regis lifeboat station in his beer tuk-tuk. (Image: Richard Horobin.)

Tom, a pub landlord who also runs a bar and Italian restaurant in Lyme Regis, is also employing three young Ukrainian refugees. He is marketing a beer called Rescue to raise a donation for the RNLI. He arrived at the lifeboat station in his tuk-tuk vehicle accompanied by his partner Georgia.

After the opening ceremony there was a rescue display involving the Lyme Regis lifeboat, Spirit of Loch Fyne, and the Shannon class vessel from the RNLI station in Exmouth.

Eight years old Isabelle Makepeace, gave up one of her favourite indulgencies to raise a donation for the RNLI on the first day of Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis.

She promised her sponsors – adult family and friends – that she would not eat a sweet for three weeks before Lifeboat Week.

Isabelle Makepeace and members of the Lyme Regis lifeboat crew. (Image: Richard Horobin.)

Isabelle and her family, from Luton, regularly come to Lyme Regis and they are again spending the week in the town for the summer holidays.

Eight years old Isabelle Makepeace, gave up one of her favourite indulgencies to raise a donation for the RNLI (Image: Richard Horobin.)

On Saturday (July, 23) she presented £74 to husband-and-wife lifeboat crew members Brian and Joe Street and told them: “We love coming to Lifeboat Week and I did not miss eating sweets for three weeks. I raised my donation from adults because I did not think it was fair to ask my young friends.”

Big crowds watched the ever-popular bathtub race on Sunday (July, 25), at the start on the beach and at the finish in Lyme Regis harbour.

Lyme Regis Sailing club won the bathtub race on Sunday, July 24. (Image: Richard Horobin.)

This year’s winners were members of the youth section of Lyme Regis Sailing Club.

Second place went to the local firefighters and in third place – their highest position for a number of years – were members of the crew of the RNLI lifeboat. Fourth place went to Oscar’s Wine Bar and fifth were members of the 5th Lym Valley Scouts.

Second place in the bathtub race were the crew at Lyme Regis fire station. (Image: Richard Horobin.)

The Lyme Regis lifeboat crew at the bathtub race. (Image: Richard Horobin.)

Model boats were on display by the Weymouth and Portland model boat group. Thousands of books were also on sale in the boathouse at the lifeboat station. On the first day donations for the books totalled £800. A lucky dip, where the prizes were a snack, water or wine, was busy

Thousands of books on sale in the boathouse at the lifeboat station. (Image: Richard Horobin.)

Model boats on display by the Weymouth and Portland model boat group. (Image: Richard Horobin.)

Donate to the Lyme Regis Lifeboat week donation page here at https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=IyrK3EbdqQ-9OIrnOgOM3acupg3HhKQOUMK48ZKfxlJtP9sVYent3vJ75Zwk55nqnpraa5UEWoU9CThr