Fawley (9 July 2007) -- The Hythe & Calshot fundraising branch of the RNLI has taken delivery of six new gazebos which will help them promote the service at a number of local events during the year.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) received £1,000 from Esso and ExxonMobil Chemical at Fawley in recognition of the time and effort an employee and his family has put into volunteering with the charity.

The grant has been donated under a special scheme designed to recognise the efforts of ExxonMobil employees and their families who contribute their time, talent and energy to schools, charities and non-profit making organisations. The scheme not only helps local organisations, but also improves the links between ExxonMobil and the local community.

The grant applicant was Geoff Croxson who was a digital systems engineer at the refinery in Fawley until he retired from the company a few weeks ago. His wife Jenny has been involved with the RNLI for a number of years and is treasurer of the local branch and administrator at the Calshot station where their son is a crew member.

Jenny said: “The new gazebos will not only look more professional but they will be easier to put up. They come in a modular system so we can mix and match sizes depending on the event.

“The RNLI relies purely on fundraising to provide a vital service to the community which is why it is so important that we have a presence at a number of events each year to promote the organisation.”

The gazebos will be used for the first time at the Calshot Lifeboat open day on 15 July, open to the public from 1pm to 4pm. As well as a number of land and water displays by the lifeboat there will be other displays and activities for families, including a climbing wall and birds of prey.

The ExxonMobil Volunteer Involvement Programme at Fawley, together with its sister scheme for school governors, has so far contributed more than £300,000 to local community projects, since it was started four years ago.