Sainsbury’s Colleagues visited the Dart Inshore Lifeboat Station on Dartmouth’s Coronation Park to meet Richard Eggleton, the crewman they are supporting this year through their fundraising activities.
The colleagues, who visited with Dart Lifeboat Station with Fundraising committee chairman Harry Escott on July 27, met Richard after choosing the RNLI on the Dart as their charity of the year.
Each year Sainsbury’s in Dartmouth choose a charity, which is nominated by local people. Nominations are invited and then the three most popular charities are asked to give a presentation to the “Colleague Council” at the store who then choose which charity they will be supporting with fundraising throughout the year.
The council responded to Harry’s appeal at the RNLI presentation to support the training of a crewmember – and kitting them out too.
Richard Eggleton is the newest member of the Dart RNLI Crew – he signed up after moving to the town with his wife and young family last August, and has already gone out on two call outs.
Training a crewmember costs on average £1,500, and buying all the kit each crewman uses – dry suit, helmet, lifejacket and so on – costs £1,160.
After choosing to support the Dart RNLI, Sainsbury’s sent their colleagues to meet Richard and have a tour of the station.
Jan Wilding said: “We have very clear criteria for the charities we support. We were delighted to support the Dart RNLI because it fulfilled all of them, especially the desire to see a definite outcome from the fundraising. Knowing that we are helping to train Richard and make sure he has the best possible lifesaving equipment is a wonderful outcome and we were all delighted to meet up with him and Harry and see the lifeboat station.”
Harry Escottt said: “We are so pleased that the colleagues at Sainsbury’s in Dartmouth have decided to support us and Richard’s training. Although the RNLI is a national charity it is very locally organised. The recent spate of shouts shows there is a clear need for a lifeboat on the river Dart and Richard is an excellent addition to the 20-strong crew. We will update the colleagues on Richard’s progress through the year and let them see what their fundraising activities are supporting.”
Phil Scoble 