To launch its Christmas appeal, the RNLI is giving its supporters a unique opportunity to be at the heart of every rescue. For the first time ever, supporters can enter a prize draw to have their name displayed on the hull of the next RNLI lifeboat to be built.
The idea is part of the RNLI’s 2015 Christmas appeal to raise £1.4 million for the next new generation Shannon class lifeboat to be built, which will be the 12th in its class and will function as a relief lifeboat.
A direct mail campaign has been designed to drive supporters to a website to both donate and enter the competition to add their name – www.rnlishannonappeal.org.
There are up to 20,000 prizes, each of which entails a winner’s name being printed on the boat’s operational number sticker, which will be fixed to the hull of the new Shannon Lifeboat. No donation is necessary to put a name forward for the competition. People can put other people’s names forward, but each individual can only enter once.
There are checks in place to ensure that every name chosen belongs to a real, identifiable person, not a fictitious character, and to screen out offensive or discriminatory content.
Closing date for entering names is December 31st 2015.
Proximity London created the idea and direct mail aspect of the campaign. Executive Creative Director John Treacy says: “We’re taking RNLI supporters even closer to the cause they’re passionate about. The winners will literally be there for every single rescue mission. It’s a very personal way of saying thank you to those who are dedicated to the RNLI, and help fund their life-saving work.”
Sara Thompson from the RNLI adds: “We loved the concept of offering our supporters the chance to be with our crews on every rescue right from the beginning. Proximity’s passion and enthusiasm has been evident all the way through the campaign and they have been instrumental in creating what is hopefully our most engaging Christmas Appeal yet.”
Earlier this year, the RNLI asked supporters to host their own Fish Supper events to help raise money for the charity. The campaign, also created by Proximity, sought to inspire empathy with the families and children of the lifeboat volunteers who often have to drop everything – including supper – to answer the call to crew the boats.
The charity offered a Fish Supper fundraising kit to anyone who wanted to participate so they could host their own Fish Suppers in their homes over the weekend of 9th to 11th October, to invite friends and family and to raise funds for the work of the organisation.
While ingredients were not provided, the pack included a number of simple recipe suggestions, party games, napkin boat origami instructions and even individual place cards with rescue stories printed on them.
The RNLI, which was created in 1824, is the charity which saves lives at sea around the coasts of Britain and Ireland. It is entirely funded by donations from the public – it receives no government money at all. The crews of all its lifeboats are volunteers who risk their own lives to save other people’s.
