Mark Francois joined the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) on a recent Saturday morning during the summer recess, to help with their efforts collecting money for current RNLI projects, such as supporting the development of a new lifeboat station at Southend.
Mark spoke to a number of people while out fundraising on the High Street in Rayleigh, where a new fundraising branch has recently been created. He was joined by the RNLI’s mascot, Stormy Sam, who proved particularly popular with the local children, resulting in over £470 being raised for the RNLI. Southend is one of the busiest lifeboat stations in the country, averaging at 100 call outs per year, saving over 2,000 lives in its 122 year history, it makes the fundraising undertaken by Mark, and fellow RNLI members, an important necessity.
The RNLI is an important charity that saves lives at sea, providing a 24-hour lifeboat search and rescue service that covers 19,000 miles of coastline in the UK and Ireland, as well as a seasonal lifeguard service on many of the busiest beaches in England and Wales. The charity relies on more than 40,000 volunteers - on lifeboats, at stations, on beaches, and in fundraising, and Mark has been a member of the RNLI for many years.
Commenting on his time fundraising, Mark said:
“My father, Reginald Francois, served in the Royal Navy in the Second World War, and as a result of this I have always had an interest in all things maritime. I initially joined the RNLI many years ago, and when a new branch was established in Rayleigh a year or so ago, I was very pleased to become a member of it. Moreover, I was glad to help the RNLI in their efforts to raise money, and to have the opportunity to meet Stormy Sam. It is good to think that some of the cash we raised on the High Street will help towards the rebuilding of our local life boat station in Southend.”