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[20 OCT 99] COVENTRY RETAIL MARKET - STEPHENSON'S NEWS
Market Fishmonger Delighted With New Lifeboat

The Royal National Lifeboat Association is set to become one vessel stronger thanks to the fantastic support of people from Coventry and Warwickshire.

THE ABERDOVEY 'ATLANTIC 21' LIFEBOAT
THE ABERDOVEY 'ATLANTIC 21' LIFEBOAT
- SIMILAR TO THE ONE TO BE BOUGHT FOR WESTON-SUPER-MARE

Over the last 18 months the city has mounted an appeal to raise £66,185 to finance a new lifeboat for Weston-Super-Mare, a target which is now within touching distance.

Coventry fishmonger Robert Stephenson, who owns a stall in the retail fish market, has been instrumental in the raising of the money and believes it is a great achievement.

He said:

"This money that has been raised by the citizens of Coventry is very close to enough to purchase a new lifeboat which is magnificent considering the appeal has been running for just 18 months.

"In the fish market we are constantly raising money for different sea related charities and it is very nice when that work comes to fruition in this way."

Stephenson, who is fondly known around the city as ‘Rupert the Fish’ has run the Coventry market stall since the retirement of his mother and his uncle in 1990 – but admits it has always been in his blood.

He said:

"My family have been Coventry fishmongers since 1911 and I never really considered doing anything else.

"I worked as an apprentice for various different fishmongers at the market before buying the stall from my mother."

But it was long before owning the stall that Robert picked up his unusual nickname – as he explains:

"It was during the 70’s when flares where in fashion, I had a pair of yellow check ones and made the bad mistake of wearing them down the pub, hence ‘Rupert’ which has stuck ever since."

Once the fundraising for the lifeboat is completed Stephenson will set about starting the next exercise, which is to raise money for the Royal Deep Sea Fisherman Fund.

The fund is designed to help the bereaved families of fisherman who have been lost at sea, and Stephenson believes people do not realise how dangerous the occupation is.

He said:

"There are 11 fisherman lost at sea each month, which is a staggering statistic.

"If you or I injure ourselves or make a mistake at work it is no real crisis, but if a fisherman does it can mean life or death.

"We will be building a full shipwreck inside the fish market to alert people’s attention to this cause and hopefully we can raise a good deal of money for what is a very just cause."
  

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CWN / Business / Coventry Retail Market / Stephenson's / 20 Oct 99

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