The Largs fundraising branch of the RNLI is delighted to welcome back the retiring chairman, Charles Hunter Pease, as the guest speaker at their annual lunch on 28 October at the Willowbank Hotel.

Charles took up his position as Chairman in 2012 and the branch was very honoured when he accepted an invitation to have his first fundraising event as Chairman in Scotland at the 2012 Lunch.

Cathy Holgate from the Branch has kept in touch with him from time to time since and occasionally sent him news of the fundraising events in Largs. When he told her he was completing his term of office this month, “I chanced my arm, expressing regret that he wouldn’t be coming back to Largs in this capacity; one thing led to another, and I am delighted to say he is completing his chairmanship back as speaker again. Of course he is a local lad—brought up in Gourock and having a yacht in the Largs Marina for many years, so he has fond memories of the area.”

Charles has been a very active Chairman visiting a host of Lifeboat stations in the UK during his 3 years—indeed he popped into the Largs one very recently whilst passing by from another visit and noticed the boat and the crew out! He has enjoyed all the activities he has been a part of and says “this is a handover, not a goodbye”.

Cathy added: “This is a real privilege for us all—he is an excellent speaker bringing a mixture of fun and seriousness to the way he presents his work, an enthusiastic promoter of the RNLI, and a really nice person! We look forward to welcoming him again next week.”