The OTC paddle race raises lifesaving funds for RNLI!

Team OTC
3 days ago
5 min read

Weymouth Lifeboat Week 2025 – A Week to Celebrate, Support, and Get Stuck In! Here at The Official Test Centre we host the annual paddle board race on the evening of Thursday 31st of July. This event has become a legendary fixture in the fundraising week and is so much fun, with teams dressing up and really getting into the spirit of the Lifeboat Week, which is all about the community coming togther to raise lifesaving funds for the RNLI. In this week's blog I chat to the fundraising team at Weymouth Lifeboat and find out how you can help them with donations before the event, make sure you sign up for the paddle race, you won't want to miss this epic evening of fun! The OTC paddle race raises lifesaving funds for RNLI!

Paddle over to The Official Test Centre (OTC)and register your team for the RNLI PADDLE RACE!

This annual event is so much fun, it has an epic reputation for creating a friendly rivalry and it is a real laugh! All money raised goes to the RNLI!

What are you doing on Thursday 31st of July 2025 at 5pm? How about entering and registering a team for the RNLI charity paddle race? please email the centre on info@otc-windsurf.com to register your teams.

Donation £10 in cash on the day per person.

When you call to register your team we will need a lead name, your team name and a contact number.

The minimum number in a team should be six, with the maximum being 10 in a team.

The event will start at 5pm, with registration from 5pm, briefing at 5:45pm with the first race starting at 6pm.

There will be a BBQ, music, bar and good vibes.

All safety equipment will be provided by The OTC, this includes the giant SUP boards, paddles and buoyancy aids. All you need to bring is your energy and enthusiasm and if your team want to wear fancy dress that would be awesome.

By Emma Maguire.

The new Weymouth lifeboat mural on the side of the Custom House Cafe by artist Peter Sheridan.

It’s that time of year again – a highlight in the Weymouth calendar and a heartwarming celebration of community spirit: Weymouth Lifeboat Week! I popped down to the lifeboat station to meet two of the incredible people behind it all – Barry, the Fundraising Treasurer, and Teresa, the ever-smiling Fundraising Chair – to get the inside scoop on what’s planned and how you can get involved.

This year’s Lifeboat Week runs from Sunday 27th July to Saturday 2nd August, and it’s jam-packed with something for everyone – music, competitions, cream teas, paddleboard races, and a chance to meet the lifeboat crew up close.

Here’s What to Look Forward To:

🎶 Sunday 27th July

Dorset Wrecks and Weymouth Whalers sea shanty afternoon – free music, donations welcome!
Evening blessing of the Weymouth lifeboat – a beautiful tradition and a chance to meet the crew.

🎉 Monday 28th July

Family Fun Day at the Nothe Gardens: stalls, music, drinks, and bat-and-twirlers from 12–5 PM.
3 PM lifeboat display at Newton’s Cove – don’t miss it!

🦀 Tuesday 29th July

Crabbing competition on the Parade (gear available from the lifeboat shop).
Evening: live music with The Lego Men at The Boat Café – raffle and great vibes guaranteed.

🚨 Wednesday 30th July

A quieter day… until 7 PM when another lifeboat display happens at Bailey’s Cove, possibly joined by the Coastguard.

🏖️ Thursday 31st July

Sandcastle competition (location TBC) from 1:30–4 PM – open to all ages!
Paddleboard races at The OTC on Portland from 6 PM – bring your competitive streak or just come to cheer. (Booking essential!)

☕ Friday 1st August

Cream tea afternoon from 1–4 PM at the Weymouth Marina (by the Baitfolk office).
Quiz night at 7 PM – location TBC. Get your teams together and test your brainpower!

🚤 Saturday 2nd August

Lifeboat Station Open Day from 10:30 AM–4 PM. Explore the boat, meet the crew, and celebrate the grand draw at 4 PM.

How Can You Help?

Weymouth Lifeboat Week isn’t just about fun – it’s about raising essential funds for an organisation that saves lives at sea. Every penny goes directly to keeping the lifeboat running and supporting the amazing volunteer crew. The RNLI receives no government funding, and most of the team – both at sea and on land – are volunteers.

Right now, the team is especially in need of:

Raffle and tombola prizes – big or small, they all help. Bottles, chocolates, toiletries, vouchers – anything goes!
Volunteers – from helping at events to collecting buckets, you don’t need to commit loads of time. An hour here or there can make a real difference.

If you’d like to donate a prize, drop it off at the Lifeboat Shop on the harbour. And if you’d like to volunteer, reach out through the Weymouth Lifeboat Fundraising Facebook Page – all contact details are listed there.

Why It Matters

As Barry shared, his own connection runs deep – his great uncle died in a lifeboat accident, and his naval background keeps the mission close to heart. For Teresa, it’s personal in a different way. After losing her job 15 years ago, she found new purpose in helping the RNLI. “They don’t just save lives at sea,” she told me, “they saved mine on land too.”

Whether you’re local or visiting, get involved. Come for the fun, stay for the cause, and support an incredible team who are always ready to drop everything when someone needs help at sea.

See you there!