Barry Dock RNLI has been highlighting some of its volunteers.

Avril Kitchen, a volunteer fundraiser, has been raising money for the RNLI since 2017.

She was inspired to start fundraising after seeing the 'incredible work' the lifeboat crew does.

She said: "They put their lives on the line every time they go out on a shout, and I thought, 'If there’s something I can do to help support that effort, then I will.'"

Ms Kitchen organises a wide range of fundraising events, from supermarket collections to large-scale events like the Festival of the Sea.

She said: "For me, it’s important that our events do more than just raise funds—they should give something back to the community."

Her most memorable fundraising experience was the Festival of the Sea, which took around 12 months to organise.

She said: "Seeing the event unfold exactly as I’d envisioned a year earlier was incredible.

"The sun was shining, the sea shanty bands were fantastic, and the atmosphere was buzzing."

Despite having a heart attack just days before the event, Ms Kitchen was still directing things from her hospital bed.

Avril has been raising funds since 2017Avril has been raising funds since 2017 (Image: Barry Dock RNLI)

She believes that fundraising is 'absolutely essential' to the RNLI and the Barry Dock community.

She said: "Without it, the crew wouldn’t have the specialised kit and equipment they need to stay safe during shouts and come home to their families."

Ms Kitchen also highlighted the importance of the lifeboat crew and lifeguards to the Barry community.

She said: "Our lifeboat crew and the lifeguards in the summer provide an incredible service that we’re so lucky to have.

"There are many parts of the coast that don’t have the same level of coverage, and we should never take it for granted."

Looking to the future, Ms Kitchen has a dream fundraising event in mind—a raft race.

She said: "The idea is to have local companies and community groups build their own rafts—making them as quirky and creative as possible—and then race them.

"It would be a brilliant way to bring people together and have some fun while raising funds for the lifeboat station."