Local celebrity chef Michael Caines has recently donated important funds to the RNLI.

Michael Caines MBE, owner of the luxury five-star Lympstone Manor Hotel and Mickey's Beach Bar & Restaurant at Sideshore on Exmouth seafront has donated £557.47 to the RNLI following collections for the lifesaving charity at those establishments and met some of Exmouth RNLI volunteers today (Wednesday 26 October) to hand over the cheque. 

Presenting the cheque to Des White, Chair of the Fundraising Team at Exmouth RNLI, Michael said: "I decided to help support the RNLI because it's a charity that's entrenched in our coastal communities and it's made up of volunteers who give up their time to save lives at sea.

"I'm particularly conscious of their important work locally with our Lympstone Manor Hotel overlooking the River Exe and Mickeys Beach Bar and Restaurant on the seafront in Exmouth that, for me, makes the RNLI a fantastic and logical choice.

"As a chef, I'm especially aware of how the charity safeguards our fishing industry around our coastline, particularly out of Brixham and here in Exmouth, with trawlers working sure in the knowledge that the RNLI are there if they get into difficulty on the water.

"So it's a charity that's close to our hearts and very important here on our coastline - the work that they do deserves all the support and funds we can raise and I'm very grateful to our customers for this amazing response."

Des White, Chair of the Fundraising Team at Exmouth RNLI, said: "We're immensely grateful to Michael for helping to raise these funds for the RNLI.

"As the charity that saves lives at sea in the UK and Ireland we are reliant on generous voluntary donations such at this to power our important lifesaving work.

"With over 9,000 volunteer crew and shore crew at 238 lifeboat stations around the coast relying on lifeboat stations, lifeboats, training, kit and rescue equipment to help them save lives at sea, donations such as these are vital to us and I must thank all who contributed."