Local business Homewood Leisure, based just outside of Rye, has made a very generous offer to Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat (PLIRB) to help them launch a special fundraiser in 2021.
Business owner Stuart Homewood, whose company Homewood Leisure specialises in swimming pools, hot tubs and spas, has donated a £5,000 hot tub as a special raffle prize. The single-prize raffle will be launched at the start of January 2021 and will be drawn by Stuart at the PLIRB’s 2021 Open Day, which will take place at the end of May (viruses permitting!)
The prize hot tub is a family-sized Tonga, 200cm x 200cm x 89cm, with electronics, cover, cover lifter, chemical starter kit and steps, all of which usually retails at £4,999.00. Delivery and installation, which usually cost £250 each, will be included if the prize winner lives within 10 miles of Homewood Leisure (subject to site survey showing straightforward delivery, ie: no craning involved).
The photos show Stuart with PLIRB volunteers Sarah Harris and John Crowther, demonstrating the model of a hot tub at the Homewood Leisure showroom. The prize will be a brand new model, which has been ordered specifically for the prize.
Family and local supporter
Stuart explained that through his work with the Hastings Winkle Club, and with Sarah (in photo above) his cousin, and with his fishing boat down at Pett Level, he’s well aware of the work of the PLIRB. However, what he wasn’t previously aware of is the running costs faced by the self-funded charity.
“I was reading” he said “that it costs around £10,000 a year to fund the rescue boat so I thought, why not pop one of these out there? It’s a £5,000 model so if we can sell enough tickets we could raise £10k, keep the boat funded for a year and give our support locally.”
To reflect the high value of this, the raffle will be for the Tonga hot tub as a single prize. Tickets are currently being printed and will retail at £2.50 a ticket, printed in books of 4. Tickets will go on sale from the start of January at local outlets, including Homewood Leisure and the PLIRB’s Pett Level boathouse.
Like the rest of her PLIRB volunteer colleagues, Tornado Helm Sarah is overwhelmed by the generosity of her cousin, coming as it does at a very difficult time for charities. PLIRB Committee Chair, Kev Nuttall said: “along with lots of other charities this year, we’re struggling to raise funds to cover our operational costs. This amazing prize donation has potential not only to raise the money we desperately need, but also to raise awareness of our charity’s work and of the costs involved in providing these life saving services.”
If any local retailers, companies, venues and social groups would like to sell tickets on the PLIRB’s behalf, this would be very welcome. Please email PLIRB fundraising volunteers at plirbfundraising@gmail.com or message the charity via their Facebook page to express an interest.
If you would like to know more about Homewood Leisure, please visit homewoodleisure.co.uk.
If you would like to know more about Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat, please visit the website.
Image Credits: Katherine Crowther By permission only .