Penguins Swimming Lessons is to hold a gala in aid the RNLI's appeal, which aims to raise £1million to build a new lifeboat station for the town.

Nearly 200 children have entered the gala, which will be at Lancing College from 4pm on Saturday, December 13, raising £750 in entry fees alone.

They have appealed for local business to back the appeal, by donating prizes which will be raffled off at the gala.

Penguins Swimming Lessons

Penguins Swimming Lessons, established in 1994, is run by Linette Wheeler, a former county and national-standard swimmer.

She said: "We feel the RNLI highlights our important water safety message and we are extremely pleased to be able to host another fund-raising event for them, especially as they are currently appealing for funds to build another station at Shoreham."

Anyone who would like to donate a prize for the group's raffle should send an email to penguinswim@tiscali.co.uk

Shoreham Conservative Club

Young swimmers aren't the only ones getting behind the lifeboat station appeal – members of Shoreham Conservative Club have also lent their support by selecting the cause as one of the club's charities.

Members at the club, in Shoreham High Street, have spent eight months fund-raising, holding different events, including tombolas, an auction, a talent show, an antiques roadshow event, prize draws and a giant bottle collection.

At a recent meeting, the club handed over a £1,860 donation towards the cost of a replacement lifeboat station capable of meeting the lifesaving needs of the service.

Colin Nowlan, chairman of Shoreham Conservative Club, said: "We wanted to support the RNLI locally, so we felt the Shoreham Lifeboat Station Appeal, to help fund a new lifeboat station in Shoreham, was ideal.

"The volunteer lifeboat crew members do a fantastic job and we are aware that they desperately need new facilities."

Tim Loughton

Local MP Tim Loughton, the club's president, presented a cheque to Shoreham lifeboat medic Dr Tim Stevenson.

Dr Stevenson said: "I am so grateful that the Conservative Club decided to support the appeal.

"The lifeboat crew are all volunteers and they regularly give up their own time to go to sea to come to the aid of others in difficulty.

"It's really pleasing when the local community supports the crew and helps to raise the vital funds for the Shoreham appeal."

RNLI

The £1million fund-raising appeal was launched by the RNLI a year ago and has raised more than £300,000 so far.

The current Shoreham lifeboat station on Kingston Beach has no dedicated crew changing facilities and their kit often doesn't dry out before it is needed again.

The lower part of the building regularly floods during high tide and the slipway is collapsing under the weight of the lifeboat.

The two lifeboats have also seen a dramatic increase in emergency call-outs this year.

Up until November, the lifeboat had been launched 92 times, compared with a total of 64 times in 2007.

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