Gary Spearman and Andy Parnell giving away free oranges for last year's Go Orange Day.
THE Isle of Wight goes orange next week to raise cash to ensure independent lifeboats stay afloat saving lives.
As volunteers gear up for what promises to be another busy summer on the water, activities are taking place on land to raise funds for the independent inshore lifeboats that operate from Ryde, Sandown and Freshwater Bay.
Last year, in the second annual Go Orange Day, Ryde raised £8,000 of the record £15,000 Island total.
"It is not just about money, it is about raising awareness of the independent lifeboats and that they are completely separate from the RNLI," said Ryde Inshore Rescue’s Michaela White, who is co-ordinating fundraising efforts.
"We realise times are tough out there for people but businesses and individuals have been incredibly generous in the past and continue to support us now," she said.
"Ryde Inshore Rescue will be out in Ryde and Newport on Friday, February 10, collecting and our main lifeboat will be in Ryde as a central focal point and public can sign-up there for the special lifeboat lotto promotion," she said.
"Once again, many of the Ryde businesses and schools are Going Orange for the day and will be holding their own fundraising events to help us.
"Hovertravel is once again showing its support by going orange for the day and also ran an orange promotion prior to Christmas."
On Saturday, February 11, the crew will be collecting on the Fishbourne to Portsmouth Wightlink car ferry from 8am to 6pm.
On Sunday, February 12, the lifeboat station will once again convert itself into a cafe for Coffee and Cake Day.
"We get hundreds of home-made cakes donated and last year there was a queue to get in to the station. The event runs from 11am to 3pm and is run by the lifeboat crew," said Michaela.
Staff at Joe’s Bar in Union Street, Ryde, are donating their tips for the week and there will be a prize of a magnum of Champagne for a customer.
If people look at the Spinnaker Tower on the Friday night, it will be orange in support of the seven independent units in The Solent.
Sandown and Shanklin Inshore Lifeboat has a wide variety of fundraisers with music nights where people are urged to wear orange.
On the Friday at 12.30pm at Rapanui, in Sandown High Street, there is a sponsored leg wax and entertainment.
A three-day real ale festival starts at the Castle Inn in Fitzroy Street, Sandown, with music on the Friday night from Jessica and Graham.
On the Saturday, Sheikh Ya Bootie belly dancers are at the Co-op, Shanklin, between noon and 1pm, Morrisons, Lake, between 1.30 and 2.30pm and then the Castle Inn real ale festival at 8.30pm, where there is a range of entertainment that evening and the night before.
Taboo play on the Friday night and Crossfire on the Saturday at the Old Comical, Sandown. There is a karaoke night at Bay House Hotel on the Saturday and a quiz night on the Sunday at the Castle.
At The Tap, Sandown, Freeway Junction play on the Friday night and Exile on the Saturday.
Broadlea Primary School and Sandown Academy have Go Orange days and Flanagan’s pub in Sandown has a quiz night every Monday and the Waterfront at Shanklin a quiz each Thursday night.
The two lifeboats will be at Morrisons, Lake, between 8.30pm and 4.30pm on the Friday and Saturday and at Regent Street, Shanklin, on the Friday.
On Saturday, February 18, at the Holliers there is an over-30s night with music from the 70s to the 00s.
There will be plenty happening on the West Wight as well, with pubs and offices joining in the fun for the Freshwater Bay lifeboats.
Dandelion coffee shop at Freshwater Bay House will have a special themed orange menu on the Friday and there will be an Orange Quiz at the Broadway Inn, Totland, in the evening.
On the Saturday, there is a special event at the Sun, Hulverstone, and an over-21 disco at the Sandpipers Hotel, Freshwater Bay, while the Highdown pub will also be helping out.
The lifeboat crew will be in the village selling special wristbands and coxswain Andy Cotton said: "We've had a great response locally. So many people are looking to raise money that it should be a real community event."
Reporter: richardw@iwcpmail.co.uk