RNLI FUND RAISING: CHANGES

We’ll all remember the “discussion� we had on NESA regarding the recent closure of the Teesmouth Lifeboat Station and the annoyance we felt after discovering that the RNLI held over £480 MILLION in their reserves.
For my own part, I’m MORE than happy to continue with NESA supporting and raising funds for the RNLI………..but………NOT to go into their national coffers.

Despite a comment which was posted during the above mentioned “discussion�, ALL the money raised for a specified station DOES ONLY get used by that station. Here’s a quote from an e-mail I received from the RNLI on the issue:

“Funds donated direct to a station for their use are not physically held at the station or in a local account, the money is held by the RNLI but is allocated specifically to the station and can not be used for general funds, so it does go to the station.�

Now, I’ve been informed by the RNLI that they aren’t really too keen on money being raised for a specified station - it’s not their “policy�. Here’s another quote from the same e-mail:

“I appreciate why people may have issues with giving to the main pot for general use, but I would like to give you an example of why we try to encourage donations to the general pot. A station located in a major coastal town with lots of tourists would receive large amounts of donations. If we restricted all these to that station, the money would be locked to the station only, which would be fine for them and give them all the equipment they need. However other stations located in less busy places but undertaking rescues would receive little or no funding and we would be unable to use the money locked with the other station. By using a general pot, projects, boats, maintenance and equipment can be provided over an even spread.�

I can appreciate what they say, but with over £480 MILLION in their national coffers, I can’t see why THEY can’t provide better funding to those stations in the “less busy places�.

So…….what am I leading to?????????

As you’ll know, we currently raise money for the RNLI on 2 fronts:
Annual Boat Comp in May - proceeds going to a specified N.E. RNLI Station
Annual Shore comp in November - proceeds going to RNLI national pot.

The reason I wanted to hold an event which would raise money to be used outside of the N.E. is that NESA has members from all over the country - and it’s only right that they should feel some benefit of our fundraising,, not just the N.E.

However, I’ve decided that the money raised from the Winter Shore Comp will no longer be going into the RNLIs’ national coffers. There are 2 alternatives:-

1.I’ve requested the RNLI to send me a list of those stations in the “less busy places� (ie those who are solely funded from national resources). If I receive such a list, then the money raised from future Winter Shore Comps will be sent to a station on that list.

2.If I don’t receive such a list, then I will invite NESA members (from outside the N.E.) to nominate a station to receive the money raised. All the nominations will be “put into a hat� and I will do the “draw� to determine which station will get the money.

As it\'s been quite some time since I requested the list of \"poorly funded\" stations, it looks like option 2 will be employed.

It’s a sad day when I have to say that NESA no longer supports the RNLI Nationally, but I’d much rather see the money we try so hard to raise actually going to a station which needs it and not just lying in the RNLIs’ account, gathering profits.

As always, your comments on this will be appreciated

[willywetegg]

No probs here Tony mate and as I will be organising the November comp again this year I am very happy to let the monies raised go to a part of the RNLI prefered by our members.

Jim.

[SIXFOOTSTEVE]

I agree with funding needy stations Tony ,personally I\'d rather see it distributed locally but secondly any needy station in the country rather than the national fund / honey pot .

[peter.m]

No problems with that. I\'ve been down to St Ives a couple of times and when you walk into the harbour you have to walk past the boat. The crew are often out chatting and showing people about, there are collection points and it is VERY busy. i can therefore see that in busy, small places like that they would cream it in.

Whatever gives stations the better spread gets my vote. I occassionally fish around the UK and would welcome that reassurance of RNLI cover.

[alan]

No problem with that Tony,I\'d prefer option 1 that way lesser funded staions would get there \"bit\" and NESA would be recognised outside the North East for its fundraising if it means the lesser funded station is located away from the NE,as you say it looks like option 2 then so be it,I cant see any alternative for fundraising so lets carry on with the 10k target :D

1. Steve..................I know NESA is a N.E. based site, but we do have members from all over the country - I think it\'s only right that NESA supports RNLI stations both in the N.E. and in other parts of the country, too. I mean, why should somebody living in (say) Scotland or Wales (and we do have a fair number of NESA members from there), contribute to fund raising for a station in the N.E. of England ?

2. Alan......................believe me, I\'d prefer \"option 1\", too - but it was weeks ago when I asked for a list of \"lesser funded\" stations and I\'ve heard nothing back. Maybe that\'s because (as I mentioned earlier), raising money for specific stations isn\'t really encouraged by the RNLI.
It may well be (and looks almost certain) that \"option2\" is our ONLY option.
\".......so lets carry on with the 10k target \"..........getting towards that area, Alan :)
With the total raised from the auction, we\'re now standing at £7,426.00 and still have this years Boat Comp and Shore Comp to go :exclam:

It would be REALY some achievement to attain THAT double figure :P

[Edited on 21/5/2006 by TC]

[Mike.Haley]

Tony, I too would prefer option 1, but am happy with whatever is decided as long as it dos,nt go into the national pot. I am sure the members around the country can come up with a list of poorly funded lifeboat stations.
Jim, put my name down for the winter shore comp.

[SIXFOOTSTEVE]

A good point well made Tony :D

[RobAdair]

This will put the cat amongst the pigeons and I\'ll probably be shot down in flames, but here goes anyways.

Surely we should be supporting our sport, i.e. encouraging newcomers (especially youngsters) to the sport. This is the only way that the we can actively swell the ranks of anglers and continue to gather support against the anti\'s and any impending government legisation.

We are in a unique position to give something back to the sport which we all love. We have funds, tackle dealers as members and a wealth of expertise with regards to the actual fishing.

My suggestion is to take the Shore Fishing Comp funds which would normally go to the national pot (which appears to be a faceless, uncaring pile of wealth IMO) and put together fishing kits (ie rod, reel, tackle) which could then be distributed to residental care homes for children anywhere in the country (as Tony says by nominations from all members throughout the country)

It would work something like this:
1. We raise £? from the shore comp
2. Our friendly tackle shop members source decent rod, reel and tackle setups at cost (therefore more tackle to the £)
3. NESA members collectively put together a photocopied, stapled together, A5 sized basic instruction booklets containing tackle setup, knots, rigs, bait, SAFETY, tips etc etc
4. Nominations are put forward for residental care homes throughout the country by members.
5. The homes receive the tackle in time for Christmas (these kids get very little as it is) and hopefully a handful of NESA members give up 4-5 hours one day over the holidays to meet the children and care staff, and give them some basic instruction on casting, baiting up, and actual fishing.
6. End result, we (hopefully) actively encourage kids to take up the sport (keeping them off the streets due to boredom, which usually leads to crime), we (as anglers) receive some good press and publicity, the care homes may well join NESA (even if only to receive there 10% discount on tackle) and the tackle dealers benefit from the extra business (after all, they would have deserved it)

My wife used to work in care homes before becoming a family support worker for Social Services and all these kids need is something to keep them occupied, and somebody to show them that there is people who care enough about them to actually give them some time and attention.

The tackle would go directly to the homes, not the kids, so it couldn\'t be sold on for drink or drugs. The care home staff would supervise the outing, thereby eliminating the need for the anglers to be police checked before providing any tuition. These homes hold no more than 6 children on average, which would be an easily managed group which could feasibly receive one on one tuition from NESA members (depending on the location of the home). We would be able to provide tackle setups for several homes at once with the proceeds (say 6 sets to each home). Looks like a win/win to me.

Sorry if I\'ve went on a bit, but I feel that the money we raise could be put to a much better use than just sitting in a more than ample bank account to be used at the discretion of accountants who have probably got no interest in our sport at all.

[sless]

i agree with that rob

how much have they got in the bank
:mad: