Springer Spaniel Harris Raises Over £1,250 for RNLI with Mayday Mile Challenge
A three year old Springer Spaniel named Harris has raised over £1,250 for the RNLI by completing the Mayday Mile challenge. Harris visited Buckie RNLI Lifeboat Station on Sunday 13 July to proudly show off his medal and meet the volunteer crew he helped support.
Harris, accompanied by his owner Colin, took on the RNLI’s Mayday Mile challenge in May this year to raise funds for the charity’s lifesaving service. His efforts raised an impressive £1,078, with an additional £176.76 in Gift Aid. Colin’s employer, Diageo PLC, has pledged to match the total amount raised, doubling the impact of Harris’s fundraising.
Each year, the RNLI call on supporters to take part in their Mayday Mile fundraiser where participants challenge themselves to take on a mile a day – whether they walk, run, hop, skip or jump – to raise money for RNLI volunteers ahead of the busy summer season. In 2024, Buckie RNLI responded to 22 shouts and saved 3 lives and expect this year to be even busier.
The RNLI, which relies on voluntary donations to power our 24/7 search and rescue service, was the cause close to Harris and Colin’s hearts.
Colin said, ‘Harris chose to support the RNLI for the Mayday Mile because their volunteers represent the very best of kindness and courage. No matter the weather or the risk, they go out to save lives at sea – and that means everything to those of us who live and walk by the coast. Harris might only have little paws, but this is his way of saying thank you to the brave crews who give their all to keep others safe.’
During his visit to Buckie Lifeboat Station, Harris was welcomed aboard the lifeboat and posed for photos with the volunteer crew.
Carl Cowie, volunteer mechanic on Buckie RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat RNLB William Blannin said, ‘It was great to meet Harris this morning. It really means a lot to us when people go out of their way to support the RNLI. Harris has raised an incredible amount, and he definitely deserves that medal.’
You can follow more of Harris’s adventures on Instagram at @harrisandhispaws.
Notes to editors
· Buckie lifeboat station has been operating since 1860. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/buckie-lifeboat-station
· For more information about the RNLI’s Mayday Mile, visit: https://fundraise.rnli.org/event/mayday-mile/home
RNLI media contacts
Jeffrey Tuckerman, Lifeboat Press Officer, 07885 692601, [email protected]
Natasha Rushby, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]
Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]
RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.
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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.