A boat club in Teignmouth that disbanded earlier this year has donated over £8,000 from its remaining funds to the Teignmouth Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI).

The Boat Owners’ Association of Teignmouth (BOAT) presented a cheque for £8,255.55 to Teignmouth RNLI last Sunday (August 3) at the lifeboat station’s open day.

BOAT, which was based at Polly Steps, formally closed in March after running for more than 35 years. It provided invaluable support to boat owners and operated as a hub for sharing advice, building friendships, and, most importantly, conducting regular ‘boat watches’ to monitor moorings for vandalism, storm damage, and theft. These patrols, especially active at weekends, were instrumental in reducing crime and keeping the river environment safe.

Several years ago, BOAT also contributed funding towards the installation of CCTV cameras overlooking the moorings near Shaldon Bridge. These cameras were credited with assisting police in resolving a local theft shortly after installation and quickly became a deterrent for criminal activity.

However, like many community organisations, BOAT was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As membership and activity declined, an emergency general meeting was held in early 2025 to determine the club’s future. With an almost unanimous agreement that the association had fulfilled its purpose, the decision was made to close and, in line with the original constitution, to donate all remaining funds to the RNLI.

The group held a final social gathering at the end of March before its wooden social hut and metal engine storage shed were removed.

‘We were very pleased that in our original constitution any monies left in the closing club’s account should be donated to the RNLI. After various expenses of clearing the site, we were delighted to make this donation at the Lifeboat open day’, said former BOAT member Steve Bentley.

The cheque was presented at the Teignmouth RNLI Open Day, a highlight of the station’s community calendar, where hundreds of visitors were able to watch rescue demonstrations and water safety activities. The donation was formally handed over to RNLI Teignmouth fundraising chair Wendy Richards Wood, who was joined by lifeboat operations manager (LOM) Andy Lilburn and several RNLI volunteer crew members.

Wendy Richards Wood expressed heartfelt thanks for the donation. ‘As part of their constitution, the members have made this hugely generous donation on the closure of their club to ensure the maintenance and development of the Teignmouth RNLI station — and these funds will most certainly be used in that way.’

Lifeboat Operations Manager Andy Lilburn added: ‘We are incredibly grateful for this significant donation. It’s a testament to the strong ties between our lifeboat station and the local maritime community. The funds will go a long way in supporting our volunteers and maintaining the equipment we need to save lives at sea.’

Teignmouth RNLI extends sincere thanks to all former members of the Boat Owners’ Association for their years of service to the local boating community and for this final, generous act of support for the RNLI’s mission of saving lives at sea.