#RNLI - Howth RNLI was unveiled this week as SuperValu Sutton’s Charity of the Year for 2016.
A series of fundraising activities will take place in store throughout 2016 to support the work of the local lifeboat station, contributing to the training of the volunteer lifeboat crew members, the provision of lifejackets and crew kit, the maintenance of the two lifeboats and the station's running costs.
Rose Michael, chair of the Howth RNLI fundraising branch, expressed her thanks and gratitude to the management, staff and customers for their support.
"We are delighted to be announcing a local fundraising partnership with SuperValu Sutton," she said. :Their support and the generosity of their customers will help us to continue our lifesaving work in the community this year.
"We have a fantastic group of people who devote their time and energy, and make sacrifices to enable us to launch the lifeboats. Our volunteer crew are incredibly brave and we want to make sure that when they go to sea to save lives that they are highly trained with the best of equipment.
"When they go out on a recue they don’t know what risks they will face, and it is our priority that they come home safely."
Neville Raethorne, store manager at SuperValu Sutton, also commented: "The lifeboat in Howth provides an important service to our customers in the locality and many of the crew members shop here. We look forward to developing a successful fundraising partnership with Howth RNLI over the coming year."
With 60 launches, rescuing 58 people, Howth RNLI was the busiest coastal lifeboat station in Ireland in 2015 – a year that saw stations nationwide launch to more than 1,000 incidents.