Pirates And Parades Help Freshwater Lifeboat Raise Over £7,000

Freshwater Bay was packed with pirate flags, music and community spirit on Saturday (16 August) as Freshwater Independent Lifeboat (FILB) held its annual Day at the Bay fundraiser – bringing in more than £7,000.

Hundreds of Islanders and visitors enjoyed live music, games, stalls, raffles and the crowd-favourite “Soak the Crew” challenge, all in support of the volunteer-run lifeboat service.

Crew member and organiser Josh Macgregor said:

“A huge THANK YOU to everyone who helped us raise over a whopping £7,000 and counting!

"Our Day at the Bay is vital to our annual operating cost and we couldn’t do it without the fantastic volunteers, local community and Island businesses who take part.”

Entertainment included performances from FaT Samba Group, Huxley Magic, The Bay Wailers, Greg Barnes and evening headliners Storm, who had crowds dancing on the seafront.

Principal fundraiser Rod Adams confirmed the day’s income stood at £7,128.40 – with more still to come from local businesses.

The raffle alone raised £2,446, with refreshments adding £447 and “Soak the Crew” bringing in £140 (with soggy banknotes to prove it).

Over 25 stallholders supported the event, including the Albion Hotel, who sponsored the stage, and Compton Farm, who supplied hay bales.

Josh added:

“The atmosphere was incredible, and we’re already looking forward to making next year – our 5th anniversary Day at the Bay – even bigger.”

As an independent service, Freshwater Lifeboat is not funded by the RNLI and relies entirely on donations and fundraising to keep its volunteer crews on call 24/7.