10 September 2015
By Bryan T. Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival has chosen the RNLI, the charity that saves lives at sea, to be its 2015 official charity partner.
The announcement was made in Cork city today (Thursday 10 September) as the RNLI launched a fundraising prize draw, which will see raffle tickets sold throughout Cork and beyond in the run up to this year’s Guinness Cork Jazz Festival which starts on Friday 23 October and runs to Monday 26.
Tickets cost €5 with entrants in with a chance of winning one of three top prizes: a trip for two for five nights to New Orleans including flights and accommodation; two tickets to Van Morrison and one night bed and breakfast at the Radisson Blu St Helen’s Hotel in Dublin; and a two night midweek bed and breakfast break at the Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney.
The RNLI has eight lifeboat stations in County Cork located in Youghal, Ballycotton, Crosshaven, Kinsale, Courtmacsherry, Union Hall, Baltimore and Castletownbere.
Last year alone, Cork RNLI lifeboats launched 163 times to a variety of call outs bringing 255 people safely to shore.
Mary Creedon, RNLI Community Fundraising Manager said the RNLI was delighted to be chosen as the 2015 charity partner: ‘We are delighted to be associated with the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival which brings thousands of people to Cork every year.
‘The RNLI’s fundraising raffle will take place on Sunday 25 October and the proceeds raised will go a long way in helping the RNLI to equip its lifeboat stations and train its volunteer crews in Munster so they can continue to save lives at sea.
‘In addition, the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival will provide an excellent platform for the RNLI to raise awareness of its search and rescue service and safety education and we are pleased with that’.
Ritchie Kelleher, Crosshaven RNLI Helm said: ‘As volunteers we rely on the generosity of the public to fund the work we do – to train, to respond to our pagers, to fuel our lifeboat, to run our station, and most importantly to help anyone who gets into difficulty at sea.’
Fiona Collins, Chair of the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival added: ‘The RNLI plays a huge role in County Cork with lifeboats spread from Youghal to Castletownbere as well as across the surrounding counties of Kerry, Waterford and Clare. We felt it was a good time to show our support for a charity that does such great work in saving lives at sea and it is our hope that people will show their support for the RNLI in Munster by digging deep and buying a raffle ticket ahead of the upcoming festival’.
Singer Niamh O’Connor, musicians Mick Cuddihy, bass, Barry Mangan, guitar, Rory Power, drummer with RNLI Crosshaven crewmen Garry Heslin , helm rt., Ritchie Kelleher, helm and Harry O’Rourke , helmet in inshore lifeboat Miss Betty on Cork City Docks yest. as
RNLI chosen to be Cork Jazz Festival’s official charity partner
Pic Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision
