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Published:
February 4, 2006
Huge
£4,500 boost for Burnham hovercraft from Bristol City Football
Club
Bristol
City Football Club has given Burnham's Spirit of Lelaina hovercraft
a major financial boost by handing over £4,500 to help it
continue saving lives along the Somerset coastline.
The
football club adopted the Spirit Of Lelaina Appeal - overseen
by the Western Daily Press newspaper - as its charity
of the year for 2005/6 and on Friday Colin
Sexstone, the club's Chief
Executive, presented a cheque to hovercraft pilot Simon Triggol
(pictured above).
 The
cash was raised from collections at home games and donations from
the FA Charity Shield, which distributes money to clubs for them
to pass on to local charities.
Alan
Miller, Chairman of BARB, the charity that runs the hovercraft,
said: "This is brilliant news. It was fantastic to hear that
Bristol City had adopted us as their charity for the season, but
we never expected a huge amount like this."
"The
money will go a long way to helping us meet our running costs
and also covering some of the costs of getting a new craft."
In
January, BARB announced it is to take delivery of a second,
smaller hovercraft to work alongside the Spirit Of Lelaina
to reach less accessible areas and serve as a training aid. The
craft will cost £11,000 and is likely to be in operation
this summer.
Colin
Sexstone, Bristol City's Chief Executive, said he was delighted
to hand over the money, adding: "We like to support local
charities and feel this one is very worthwhile."
The
Spirit of Lelaina Appeal was launched by the Western
Daily Press after five-year-old Lelaina Hall died after
becoming trapped in treacherous mud at Berrow beach in 2002. Its
readers raised the cash to buy a hovercraft. Having rescued and
helped more than 85 people in its first 18 months of service,
the craft has proven its worth.
To
help the Spirit of Lelaina Appeal, send a cheque to Wendy Best,
Special Projects Editor, Western Daily Press, Bristol, Temple
Way, Bristol BS99 7HD.
RELATED
LINKS:
Western
Daily Press Spirit Of Lelaina Appeal
Burnham
Hovercraft Web site
Bristol City Web site
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