The Royal National Lifeboat Institution has been named as the official charity for the 2016 Tour de Yorkshire which sets off from Beverley on 29 April.
Money raised from the event, that last year was watched by an estimated 1 million people will be re-invested in the RNLI’s activity in Yorkshire.
In Yorkshire there are nine lifeboat stations whose crews in 2014 came to the aim and rescued 275 people.
Sir Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire said:
“We are very excited to be partnering up with the RNLI for this year’s Tour de Yorkshire.”
“The RNLI provides life-saving services across Yorkshire and the UK and we know that many race spectators will have come across their work or may even be RNLI volunteers themselves.”
“The race provides a great platform for the RNLI to fundraise and to raise awareness and we will be supporting them wholeheartedly over the next few months.”
Leesa Harwood, RNLI Community Lifesaving and Fundraising Director, said:
“We are delighted to have been chosen as the official charity for the 2016 Tour de Yorkshire.”
“The event takes place over the same weekend as the RNLI’s national fundraising campaign, Mayday, and will enable us to raise vital funds to save lives at sea.”
“The RNLI relies on voluntary donations and without our supporters we simply wouldn’t be able to provide crews with the equipment and training they need, or fund our safety programmes to help educate children and adults alike about how to keep out of danger at the coast and on inland waterways.”
Amateur cyclists who enter the Maserati Tour de Yorkshire Ride, which is taking place on Sunday 1st May, will have the option to raise money for the RNLI when they register.
The RNLI was chosen as the official charity for the Tour de Yorkshire 2016 following a call for bids from interested charities. The charity was selected by the Welcome to Yorkshire Board.
Following from the success of hosting s stage last year, Beverley was awarded the start of the race.
Stage one of the three stage race that takes place on will see riders travel from Beverley to Settle a distance of 185KM.
