Organised by the Local Lifeboat Guild, the annual ‘Pimms Party’ is to raise funds for the benefit of the Burnham Lifeboat Station and will take place on Sunday 28 August 2011 from 6:30pm to 8:00pm.

This event has always been not only a huge success but a lovely way to spend a warm, sunny evening among friends.

Our hosts this year are James and Kay Mattison and the party will be held in their garden at Belvedere House, Belvedere Road, Burnham.

Entrance, which includes the first glass of pimms is £3.00.

We look forward to seeing you there!

The service is designed to give thanks to the volunteers who man the lifeboats 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be called upon at a moments notice.

In previous years, vital funds have been raised for the RNLI and we are extremely grateful to have such strong support within our local community.

Ray Clark, BBC Radio Essex Breakfast Show presenter and Patron of the Floating Boathouse Appeal took to the roads and pathways of the Essex Coastline to raise awareness of the Appeal and the RNLI in general.

He walked from Harwich to Burnham on Crouch visiting all six Lifeboat Stations along the way and will broadcast live from as many as possible.

Ray has lived in Burnham for many years and was delighted when he was asked to become Patron of the Appeal. “The Lifeboat Station has received tremendous support from the local community so far and it is wonderful the way people are responding to the Appeal. However, we still have a little way to go to reach the target of £130,000 and if I can help by raising awareness of the Appeal then I’ll do all I can”.

Ray broadcast his breakfast show from Harwich Lifeboat Station on Tuesday April 26th and then walk ed to  the Lifeboat Station at Walton on the Naze. On Wednesday April 27th he broadcast live again from the Lifeboat Station at Walton and then walked along the seafront to Clacton where he met up with Stormy Stan, the Lifeboat mascot.

Ray then continued on, ending the day at West Mersea Lifeboat Station where he again broadcast live on Thursday morning. Ray ended his journey at Burnham Lifeboat Station during the DriveTime show.

If you would like to donate to the Floating Boathouse Appeal, please go to www.justgiving.com/burnhamboathouseappeal

Burnham Sailing Club will be hosting a Boat Jumble on the 26 March to help raise funds for the Floating Boathouse Appeal, between 10am and 2pm. There will be tea and coffee available in the club house and the cost will be £10.00 per pitch with 20p per person entrance fee.

There’s no item too large or small and this is a great reason to clear out those sheds and lock-ups ready for the sailing season to begin!

If you would like more information on securing a pitch please contact Walter Jenkins on 01621 786658, but hurry as places are going fast!

For the last two months members of Burnham on Crouch RNLI have been restoring a 57 year old Cadet dinghy named “Cute” to raise funds for the Floating Boathouse Appeal.

The project was supported by the Marine Trades Association and its members, through the supply of brand new fittings for the boat as well as the International Cadet Association.

Cute was on show at the Yachts &Yachting  Magazine Stand at the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show which was held in Alexandra Palace last weekend. Members of Burnham RNLI attended and sold the raffle tickets.

On the Sunday Gael Pawson from Y&Y magazine very kindly agreed to pull the winning ticket which was Number 08482, Mrs Liz Jackson from South Woodham Ferrers, who is a member of the Marconi Sailing Club.

The total amount raised by the Raffle was £2,890.09 and this brings the total raised for the Burnham RNLI Floating Boathouse Appeal to just over £114,000.00.

This week it was lowered down the slip to await the incoming tide prior to being moved to its home replacing the old boathouse so that there is room for the new Atlantic 85 inshore Lifeboat. This will shortly replace the existing Atlantic 75. Nothing is being wasted as the old boathouse is being moved to Oulton Broad.

One of the delights of restoring old boats is the history that follows them. This week the original builder’s plate was forwarded by a previous owner and will shortly be reunited with the hull. As one talks to many of the older successful sailors it is incredible how many of them started many years ago in cadets and most of them remember sailing against “Cute”. It is all a tribute to the brilliant grounding the cadet class has provided for many of our star sailors.

Meanwhile the dynamic duo and their helpers are finishing the last of the joinery. There is then a lot of varnishing to do before work can start on adding the deck fittings. As well as the usual meticulous attention to the finish that we have come to expect from the team there is the need to remember the class rules. There are no grandfathering provisions so it is essential that constant attention is directed at this particular aspect.

If you would like to buy tickets for the chance to win ‘Cute’ please contact Walter Jenkins on 01621 786658 or email him at walterjenkins@intamail.com

The project has begun. The latest fundraising effort in the bid to raise £130,000 towards our new floating boathouse is now underway.

Burnham-on-Crouch RNLI Floating Boathouse Appeal has a new venture for the New Year. Following on from the success of the ‘Barangoola: Boating on a Budget’ project of 2009/10, the team are now in the process of beginning ‘Boating on a Budget III’!

The plan is to find two International Cadet dinghies currently in a sorry state and rebuild one of them to raffle at the RYA Volvo Dinghy show supported by Yachts and Yachting Magazine, on March 6^th in aid of the Burnham-on-Crouch RNLI Floating Boathouse Appeal.

Two Cadet dinghies in a suitable state of disrepair have been found and there will be two boats on display at the show to demonstrate how the project started and what can be achieved.

Burnham RNLI Crew is making up the volunteer force, the overall build will be overseen by Norman Gullen and Dick Rycroft, ably assisted by all manner of talents provided by the Crew. However none of these people are professional boat builders and any of the skills used should be able to be performed by a competent DIY enthusiast. The project is further being supported by the Marine Trades Association and its members as well as the International Cadet Association.

Having ascertained the ownership, provenance and title of the two boats, we have now finally been able to move the dinghies inside the build shed to dry out and work will start early in the New Year. Tickets are in the process of being printed and are due to be on sale during January.

Burnham-on-Crouch RNLI Floating Boathouse Appeal recently announced that the total amount donated to the Appeal has just passed £100,000. It is hoped that this initiative will bring the Appeal closer to the target of £130,000.

Terms and Conditions

Burnham on Crouch RNLI held their annual Carol Service at St Mary’s Church, Burnham on Thursday 16th December.

The church was packed with Lifeboat supporters and the evening centred around remembering the sacrifices made by Lifeboat crews with particular emphasis on the Penlee Lifeboat disaster of 1981.

Mulled wine and mince pies rounded off an evening of festive carols and readings organised by the Lifeboat Guild.

Crew members from Burnham on Crouch Lifeboat Station have completed a gruelling 25 mile walk in aid of the Floating Boathouse Appeal.

Senior Helm Tony Lacey, Deputy Launch Authority Buster Tickner and Crew Member and Mechanic Martin ‘Hippo’ Hipsey were accompanied by friend Craig Tyrell in Yorkshire to complete the notorious Yorkshire Peaks Challenge.

The Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge is a very demanding but rewarding walk and involves walking a circular route from Horton in Ribblesdale taking in the summits of Pen-y-ghent (694 metres – 2,276 feet), Whernside (736 metres – 2,415 feet) and Ingleborough (723 metres  2,372 feet).

The walk is 24.5 miles (39.2km) long and takes in over 5,000 feet (1,600 metres) of climbing. The walking is over a variety of terrains, and even though the paths have been improved immensely over recent years, certain sections can still be very boggy and energy sapping.

Buster Tickner said “We completed the challenge in 10 hours 45 mins. We started in grey gloom, which turned to drizzle, and then it got very boggy and finally fabulous sunshine and a howling gale up on the canopy of the summits. Beautiful scenery but the hardest challenge of my life. I’m still walking ‘crablike’ from blisters, twanging hamstrings , aching knees, calves and thighs and bruised arches at present!”

The Crew at the station are still trying to raise £130,000 towards the cost of a new floating boathouse to house a new Atlantic 85 Lifeboat due on station in early 2011.

Burnham on Crouch Lifeboat Station is hosting an unusual event in aid of the Floating Boathouse Appeal.

The superb Jazz band known as ‘Neptunes Bodyguard’ (slang for ‘The Royal Marines or Ships Marines’), will be playing at Belvedere House, Belvedere Road, Burnham on Crouch on Saturday the 10 July from 7:30pm.

The event is being held to raise funds for the Floating Boathouse Appeal and is expected to be a sell out.

Claire Rawlinson, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer said, ‘the idea is that those wishing to attend arrive in the afternoon with a picnic table, chairs and gazebo and set up in the garden. Later on, they return with a picnic or three course meal – which ever they choose, and listen to the stunning sounds of this outstanding jazz band in the lovely setting of Belvedere House.

It’s an unusual event and like nothing we’ve done before but so far it’s proving to be extremely popular and tickets are selling fast.

To add a sense of occasion to the evening, there will be a prize for the best dressed table and black ties are optional!’

Tickets for this exclusive event are £20 each and are available from One Place in Burnham High Street or Jacaranda Florists in Station Road, Burnham.