Ballyholme Yacht Club Cadets and their parents were delighted that the Bangor lifeboat crew were able to take some time out from their Sunday morning training on 23 August to present them with a donation towards the work of the RNLI in Northern Ireland.
The BYC Cadet Committee organised two fundraising events over the summer sailing season: a ‘Dolphins & Sharks’ BBQ evening in June and the club’s first ‘Sunrise Sail’ which took place in mid August.
The Sunrise Sail saw 50 cadets, in dinghies decorated in fairy lights and illuminated sails, take to the waters of Ballyholme Bay at 5.30am to watch the sun rise over Ballymacormick Point — followed by a much-welcomed breakfast and hot drinks to warm up afterwards at the clubhouse.
The Sunrise Sail in mid August saw 50 BYC cadets, in dinghies decorated in fairy lights and illuminated sails, take to the waters of Ballyholme Bay at 5.30am | Credit: RNLI/Louise Burrows
The lifeboat crew were made welcome at the club for both events, and were well ‘fed and watered’ by the time they left.
Between both events, BYC Cadets and their families raised £1,000 for Bangor RNLI, for which the lifeboat station says it’s very grateful.
Members of Ballyholme Yacht Club past and present have been prominent supporters of Bangor RNLI throughout the station’s history, with the tradition continuing into the next generation of sailors.
