Shanty singing night is inspirationfor donation to lifeboat restoration

Dee Day White, who is playing a role in restoring the Cyril and Lilian Bishop lifeboat, explained: “The Old Town of Hastings neve ceases to surprise and amaze.

“On Thursday nights in the Jenny Lind the RX Shanty Crew sing and entertain a wonderful crowd and the pub allows us to collect money toward the restoration of ‘The Ghost of Dunkirk’.

“Going around with a bucket I appraoched a rather large Irish man who introducedd himself as Mr Maloney and wanted to know more about the boat.

He said he was a regional secretary of the GMB Union.

“He enjoyed the community spirited evening and asked if the group sang elsewhere. I told him that three weeks earlier they bwere singing in a small village outside Dunkirk in France.

“Mr Maloney told me that he was already involved in the Hastings Pier Project and was looking to help fund a new project.

“He said the lifeboat restoration project sounded ideal and that the Union would like to get involved and make three separate donations over a period of time as and when we need them.

“The very next day a substantial donation was made to the ‘Ghost of Dunkirk’ via Santander bank, with the promise of more to come.

“Now we are hoping Hastings will support this new GMB project as they have supported us.”

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