Six-year-old Lola donates birthday money to RNLI Calshot and national air ambulance charity
BIRTHDAY gifts are a big deal when you’re six, but a kind-hearted little girl from Fawley decided to sacrifice hers in exchange for donations to the local RNLI branch.
Lola Barron raised an impressive £90, which was shared between Calshot RNLI and the Children’s Air Ambulance, and was invited by rescue crew to a VIP tour of the station.
Mum Joanne Lamb told the A&T: “We are so proud of her. Lola decided she would like to ask her friends for donations rather than bring a present to her birthday party.
“The idea came about after a conversation we had about the environment and how we could do something good rather than bringing more plastic presents into our house.”
After talking to Lola about local charities, she chose Calshot RNLI and the Children’s Air Ambulance.
“We have always visited lifeboat stations and Lola really enjoys being by the sea, so it’s nice to know the RNLI are close by and ready if us or someone else needs them.”
She continued: “Lola hasn’t needed the air ambulance before but she has been taken to hospital in an ambulance because she has needed oxygen. So the air ambulance is quite close to home for us.”
Lola’s friends thought donations were a great idea and all made very generous contributions.
“We are very grateful,” said Joanna.
Lola has inspired her siblings, Bailey (7) and Lexi (3) to also raise money for charity on their birthdays.
Just as Lola’s tour of the lifeboat station was coming to an end, the crew were alerted to two paddle boarders in difficulty near Calshot Castle, so Lola was able to watch the launch of the Atlantic 85 B Class vessel.
“Lola was invited to hand in her donation,” Joanna added. “She is very shy and is not keen on drawing attention to herself so it was a very brave thing for her to do. She did so well and she enjoyed being shown all the boats and equipment they have at the station.”
Lifeboat visits officer at Calshot RNLI, Justyn Leonard, said: “We’re always grateful when people choose to give money to us, especially in the current economic climate.
“It’s even more humbling when someone of Lola’s age chooses to donate to us instead of receiving birthday presents. What a selfless gesture.”
As previously reported in the A&T, crew members from Calshot RNLI featured in an episode of the BBC’S Saving Lives At Sea last year.
Crew members are featured going to the rescue of a father and son who get into difficultly while jet skiing.
The Children’s Air Ambulance transfers critically ill children from local hospitals to specialist paediatric centres throughout the UK.
