Yorkshire Building Society's Tenby branch at Tudor Square has helped Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation to reach its £100,000 fundraising target for it's Charity of the Year, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), four months early!

At the beginning of the year, Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation set a challenge to the society's staff to raise £50,000 for the RNLI which the foundation would then match pound for pound. It was hoping with the help of its staff and members to raise £100,000 for the charity that saves lives at sea by the end of the year.

Yet, thanks to the brilliant fundraising efforts of the staff at the Tenby branch by holding a garden party fundraiser and baking pancakes and with the support from customers and members of the public the Charitable Foundation reached its target four months ahead of schedule.

Sian Rees, manager of Yorkshire Building Society's Tenby branch, said: "I am absolutely thrilled that we have been able to make a significant contribution to the £100,000 donation to the RNLI.

"We have worked really hard to organise fundraising events and have managed to raise over £2,000, but we couldn't have done it without support from the people of Tenby.

"We have another four months to keep going with our mission to raise as much money as possible for the RNLI and I hope our customers and members of the public in the town will continue to support us as we do what we can to raise money for this truly fantastic charity."

All funds raised by the society's staff and through the support of customers and members of the public will be used by the RNLI to train more of its vital volunteer lifeboat crew and lifeguards who are called to the rescue - no matter what the weather, come rain or shine.

Catherine Kaye, corporate partnerships manager at the RNLI charity, said: "Corporate partnerships are very important to the RNLI and we are delighted to be working with Yorkshire Building Society as their charity of the year. 

"Staff in the branches and at head office have really engaged with the Come Rain or Shine Campaign to raise funds for training RNLI volunteer lifeboat crews and lifeguards, so much that they have exceeded their fundraising target well ahead of the year end. 

"This is a fantastic bonus for our charity as we will now be able to fund essential training for more of our volunteer lifeboat crews and lifeguards so they can continue to save lives at sea as safely and effectively as possible."

The £100,000 donation to the RNLI was made up the £50,000 raised by staff so far with Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation matching every penny raised and boosting the total to £100,000.