This in from George, in his own words. Ed
The Yellow Welly title was particularly appropriate on The Parade as people were invited to walk a short distance with a wellington boot on their head. Not an easy task, as some people quickly found, although the Mayor of East Cowes, Mike Lloyd (pictured), was among those who did manage to preserve a sense of balance.
Plenty to see and do
Inside the station people were given conducted tours, enjoy light refreshments and take part in a lucky dip. Children could colour in pictures and learn about knot-tying. The public could also view a life-saving demonstration off The Parade, given by the lifeboat crew.
Supporting the event on The Parade were a fire appliance, a hospital ambulance and a display mounted by Island coastguards. In addition the station’s neighbour, the Island Sailing Club, arranged for a group to sing sea shanties under a marquee over the lunch period.
Tug of war
While the RNLI’s commitment to its life-saving cause is unquestioned, the life-savers were sadly wanting when it came to a tug of war contest against local fire-fighters.
All three efforts ended in total victory for the firemen! But the lifeboat volunteers could console themselves it was the taking part rather than the winning that counted.
The day not only involved RNLI volunteers with the station, but also enthusiastic members of the local Cowes Guild and its East Cowes branch. As well as raising the RNLI’s public profile the day raised £615 for the charity.
