Concert set to raise £2,000 for Hunstanton RNLI

A West Norfolk pub staged a sell-out concert to celebrate 200 years of saving lives at sea, hoping the event will have raised £2,000.Tribute band the Very Beautiful South headlined Life Fest 200 at the Queen Victoria at Snettisham, to raise funds for Hunstanton RNLI.The bill for the show also included Jammin’ Joe, Chrissie Blake, Neil Reeve and The Scolts.

More than 300 attended with tickets sold out weeks in advance. Before the headliners took to the stage Jeff Lenton, one of the launch authorities at Hunstanton RNLI, thanked everyone for their support.“This is all just amazing. It costs the RNLI around £200m a year to operate and a lot of that of that comes from people like you and events like this, so thank you so, so much. Without you, we simply could not exist.”Volunteers from the station were also in attendance to lend a hand. Landlord and landlady Darren and Ann-Marie Wing, who run the pub have adopted the RNLI as their chosen charity for the year. The couple, who took on the pub two years ago, expect the gig to raise £2,000.Ann-Marie said: “It’s their 200th anniversary and to us that’s a massive thing, so we just went from there. I haven’t had to call on the RNLI myself but I do know people who have in the past.” Dave Taylor, one of the pub’s regulars, helped organise the event along with friend and fellow customer Steve Webber, said: “We’ve been doing monthly quiz nights for Hunstanton RNLI. I said a band I know might be up for coming and doing a set and it just escalated into what we have here tonight.”Derek Greening, chair of the Hunstanton and West Norfolk Lifeboat Guild, said: “Darren and Ann-Marie have put a lot of effort into this, along with Dave and Steve, all their helpers and of course the performers. The RNLI will make good use of the money they’ve raised and we’re thrilled everyone had a great evening.’Local businesses also rallied to support the event. Tim Murrel supplied and ran the PA. Haulier Lynn Star provided a trailer for the stage, while Grange Dentists in Snettisham supplied the wristbands, the village’s Co-Op store donated water for the helpers and Huws Gray Snettisham supplied high-vis jackets for event staff.