A 59-year-old yacht club has closed after its lease was not renewed.

Allhallows Yacht Club has donated £78,000 to Sheerness RNLI after handing over access to its clubhouse and boat storage area to leisure park owners, Haven Holiday Parks.

As part of the club’s memorandum, any remaining funds had to be donated to charity.

Members unanimously decided to donate the money to Sheerness RNLI due to its proximity to the club and thanks to its volunteers for helping out members over the years.

Club president Andrew Vincent and Cheryl Frame, on behalf of her late husband, club commodore Barry Frame, presented the cheque in Lower Stoke, Isle of Grain on Saturday, October 7.

Mr Vincent said: “Whilst we are very pleased to be able to benefit such a worthwhile institution as the RNLI it was with great sadness that this was the final act of Allhallows Yacht Club.”

Sheerness RNLI Lifeboat Station coxswain/mechanic Paul Jarvis, his predecessor Robin Castle and Sheerness Lifeboat Station operations manager Nigel Budden received the cheque.

Claire Vincent, the other club president, Nigel Godden (Rear Commodore) and other longstanding members including Anne Letch, who joined the AYC with her husband in 1968, were also present at the presentation.

Founded in 1964, the club offered boating, sailing, windsurfing, powerboating and jet skiing and held national and international events including the World Class II Power Boat championship in 1993.