Pwllheli RNLI’s appeal for a new boathouse has been given a huge boost thanks to a donation of almost £11,000.

Crew and fundraisers were all smiles when they gathered at the current lifeboathouse to receive a cheque for £10,910 from the RNLI Congleton fundraising branch.

They raised the money when they linked up with The Branch Line Society, a voluntary association for railway enthusiasts, to run a special train trip to raise money for the life-saving charity.

Station treasurer Bernard Roberts accepted the cheque along with Coxswain Clive Moore, other members of the crew, Pwllheli RNLI committee members and the Pwllheli RNLI Ladies Guild.

The Branch Line Society is a UK-based railway association, it is widely recognised as Britain’s leading amateur group for the study of railway infrastructure and history of networks.

The society ran a chartered train in August from Crewe to Portsmouth, with all the profits and on-board fundraising donated to the RNLI via the Congleton branch.

Members of the Pwllheli RNLI crew, committee members and Ladies’ Guild all gathered at the existing boathouse for the presentation of the cheque by Sandra Lawson, treasurer of Congleton RNLI fundraising branch, and enjoyed a specially prepared Welsh tea which was provided for those who attended the presentation.

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