September 2025: Focus on … our fantastic fundraisers
As we move away from the height of the summer season, dedicated RNLI fundraisers are still going the extra mile to raise much-needed funds for our lifesaving charity. This month’s spotlight article takes a look at three amazing fundraisers undertaking very different challenges, but all with the same goal of saving lives at sea.
Norman Daniells from Henley-on-Thames began his RNLI fundraising journey quite by chance, when a family stroll at Marsh Lock led Norman to be roped in to mind a yard sale stall 'just for a minute.' That minute turned into a lifetime commitment, as he and wife Sally marked an incredible 50 years of tireless fundraising in 2025. This year also saw Norman’s milestone 80th birthday, and last month he marked both important occasions with a gravity-defying wing walk.
Cheered on by his family, Norman soared to 600 feet in the air to raise over £4,000 so far for the RNLI. On touching back down on solid ground, Norman said he would not describe himself as brave.
‘The brave people are the lifeboat men and women that go out at 2am in a gale and spend hours out there rescuing somebody who needs rescuing’, he commented. ‘I’m just raising some money to help them do the job that they’ve got to do.’
With a few less fundraising years under his belt is six-years-old Seb, but he’s no less keen to support his favourite charity. Storm Force member Seb walked an incredible 100 miles in 100 days, finishing his last walk in the company of lifeboat crew members, shop and fundraising volunteers from Littlestone Lifeboat Station, who were all incredibly proud of his fundraising efforts. The best part? The celebratory bucket of ice cream! And of course over £1,600 raised through his miles of effort.
And at Walmer RNLI, volunteer helm Dan Sinclair is preparing to swap his drysuit for cycling shorts, as he and friend Nathan Siddans embark on a gruelling cycling challenge. Starting next month, the pair will be cycling the length of the UK from John o’ Groats to Land’s End, adding detours en route to summit the three peaks - Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, and Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) – adding more than 11,000 feet of elevation on foot to their cycle ride.
Dan said: ‘I’ve been volunteer crew at Walmer Lifeboat Station for 17 years. This charity means everything to me - we respond in all weathers, day and night, to help people in trouble at sea.
‘The RNLI has just passed 200 years of lifesaving, and we want to do our bit to help keep that going strong for the future.’
If you’ve been inspired by these stories to take on your own fundraising challenge, there is further information and inspiration available on our website. And if you spot a fundraiser going above and beyond that you’d like to see in the spotlight, let us know at [email protected].