Raffle winner Ian Ogier received the news while eating his breakfast.
‘I was lost for words,’ he said. ‘Andre asked me if I was speechless, and I just nodded because my mouth was full of cereal.’
Mr Ogier had not even actually paid for the ticket himself – his father had bought one for each of them.
Though surprised by the result, Mr Ogier has long supported charity raffles and regularly donates to good causes.
‘Winning is lovely, but it’s really about taking part and helping a charity like the RNLI,’ he said.
‘They save lives, it’s that simple.’
The raffle, organised by Whiteway Motors, was launched to honour Mr Falla’s final wishes after the keen water sports enthusiast left his cherished 2010 Mazda MX5 to the RNLI in his will, hoping it would help raise funds for the lifeboat crews.
Originally listed for sale, the car became the centrepiece of a fundraising raffle after a customer suggested the idea to Whiteway Motors owner Andre Whiteway.
‘We realised a raffle could raise more and give people a better chance to be part of it,’ said Mr Whiteway, who coordinated the draw with the help of Bernie Le Gallais of A1 Crab Supplies.
In total 500 tickets were sold at £50 each, raising around £10,000. Alongside the Mazda, which included its four-digit registration plate 8854, prizes included five £200 cash bundles and a seafood platter worth £145.
Mr Falla’s widow, Gail, was involved throughout the campaign.
The RNLI praised the initiative as ‘incredibly kind,’ acknowledging that such donations play a vital role in keeping lifeboats operational.
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