ONE-time celebrity king of the jungle Kian Egan is urging Globe readers to support the RNLI's latest campaign.

From this Thursday, May 1 until next Monday 5 May, the charity's volunteers will be out in force selling yellow welly pin badges for a £2 donation as part of the organisation's Mayday campaign.

There will also be a number of welly themed events held to raise funds for the lifesaving charity. The yellow welly represent volunteer lifeboat crews.

It is the first time the charity's Mayday campaign has been run in the UK. It is a major national fundraising event for the RNLI in Ireland.

Over each of the past ten May Day bank holiday weekends, RNLI crews have launched an average of 135 times, rescuing 162 people and saving seven lives.

Kian, a former member of Irish boyband Westlife and a recent contestant on ITV's I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, said: "As someone who grew up in Sligo on the west coast of Ireland, I know how hard the members of the RNLI work, and how dedicated they are to a job that they carry out as volunteers."

The star, who is an avid surfer, continued: "On call 24 hours a day and prepared to launch in all weathers, I have huge respect for these brave men and women who come from all walks of life.

“As a surfer and someone who spends a lot of my time in the sea, it is always reassuring to know that they are there if I ever need them.

“Thanks to the generosity of the public, these volunteers are highly trained and equipped and can continue to offer their specialised skills.”

For ideas on how to get involved vist www.rnli.org/RNLImayday