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Southend: Lifeboat launched 150 times at RNLI's busiest station

RNLI RNLI crewmembersRNLI
The RNLI launched their new national campaign from Southend Pier

A lifeboat service said it launched almost 150 times from its busiest station last year.

The RNLI released the figures for Southend as it announced a national fundraising campaign from its pier.

The charity said the money would go towards vital training and equipment.

Nick Elmore, chairman of the town's RNLI station, said the town had been chosen to launch the new campaign as its busiest station in the UK and Ireland in 2021.

He added: "Half of our patch literally dries out every six hours, so we have a huge amount of area people like to explore that would normally be underwater for six hours of the day and that's what catches people out."

Nick Elmore, RNLI Southend station chairman
Chairman of the Southend RNLI station Nick Elmore said people were often caught out exploring the area
Southend resident Alison Bourke-Brown
Southend resident Alison Bourke-Brown said the service of the RNLI was "massively important "

Southend resident Alison Bourke-Brown said: "It's massively important, I've got kids as well, I love the fact that they are very present around here as well, you know you can take the kids down and see the actual lifeboat."

New data from the RNLI revealed that between January 2021 and December 2021, across the UK and Ireland there were 8,868 lifeboat launches with 12,903 people helped.

Thomas Kemp, from the RNLI, said: "Without the general public gifting us money we wouldn't be here to save people.

"I love helping people, I love going out and rescuing people and bringing them back and being that helping hand."

Thomas Kemp, RNLI
Thomas Kemp said public donations helped them continue a vital service
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