Insight

(Left to right:) Sally White and Kate Heal join Stormy Sam from the RNLI!

Somerset branch raises £1,300 for the RNLI

Business manager, Kate Heal, and her colleagues at Alfred R W Connock & Son in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, became collectors at their local supermarket on Christmas Eve to raise money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). Following an appeal in the Shepton Mallet Journal, the team felt that they could offer some time especially as the charity has personal significance to Kate.

"My great-grandfather, Herbert Head, and great-uncles, James and John Head, all lost their lives in Rye Harbour in Sussex in 1928. They were part of the Mary Stanford’s lifeboat crew which was responding to a collision in the middle of a storm," explained Kate. "I attended a Memorial Service in Hastings last year which gave me an insight into what my family members went through but also made me feel very proud. Sadly my Dad – Herbert’s grandson – passed away three years ago and I just felt he would be happy to know we were doing something to support the RNLI."

Collecting funds alongside Kate were funeral director, Trish Hogg, funeral arranger, Sally White, and funeral service operative, Phillip Roberts. In total, £1,300 was raised for the Winscombe and District branch of the RNLI, a £250 increase on the previous year.

Kate added: "We had a great response on the day and we may well be doing this again in the summer!"