This September, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is challenging people across Sussex to give up all drinks except water for 10 days to raise vital funds for the lifesaving charity.
No tea or coffee. No fizzy drinks. No orange juice. And definitely no wine or beer. Just water – for 10 tough days.
The sponsored H2Only challenge runs from 5pm on Tuesday 13 September to 5pm on Friday 23 September, with participants giving up the drinks they love for 10 long days and drinking nothing but water throughout the challenge.
Jade Cohen, volunteer lifeboat crew member at Brighton RNLI Lifeboat Station, said: ‘The H2Only challenge is extremely tough. We know that going 10 days without a morning cuppa, a pint after work or a can of fizzy drink will be really hard for everyone taking part.
‘Every pound raised is so important to the RNLI. As a charity, we rely on the support and generosity of the public so that we can continue to save lives at sea. All the money raised by people taking on the H2Only challenge will be greatly appreciated.’
Everyone who signs up to take on the challenge will receive a pack containing two H2Only temporary tattoos to wear. The tattoos last up to 10 days – so participants can proudly display their exclusive H2Only ‘ink’ while taking on the challenge.
All those brave enough to take on the challenge can sign-up now at h2only.org.uk.
Jade continued: ‘People can sign-up as part of a crew with their friends or work colleagues and take on the H2Only challenge together. Just a like an RNLI lifeboat crew, they’ll be able to rely on each other for support when the going gets tough and they hit choppy waters during the challenge. I’d encourage all H2Only participants to stay on the water to help the RNLI stay on the water.’
The H2Only drive has even spawned a temporary “pop-up” bar in south-east London. The bar, named The Bottle, will offer 10 different regional varieties of seawater including “Sussex Sea”, which was bottled at Brighton Beach, in a bid to educate people about the potential dangers of sea water. Obviously the water won’t be sold for consumption; instead the bottles carry stark warnings on the label about the specific risks of the coastlines they were sourced from.
In 2015, RNLI volunteer lifeboat crews across the UK and Ireland rescued 7,973 people, saving 348 lives, while the charity’s lifeguards helped 18,181 people and saved 94 lives.
Follow @RNLI on Twitter or like the RNLI Facebook page for all the latest H2Only news and updates.
