Vital service performed by independent lifeboats
Putting that into perspective, the RNLI, which depends on donations from the public and does not receive public funds, spends approximately £2 million on each Shannon Class All Weather Libeboat and its launching system
Projects across the UK awarded funding for rescue equipment and training.
Almost £1 million has been awarded by Maritime Minister Robert Goodwill today to 51 UK charities to support water rescue services in local communities.
The Government scheme gives voluntary groups crucial funding for new equipment and training to support their rescue efforts on and around inland and inshore waterways.
The money is for the purchase of lifeboats, launch vehicles, rafts and safety gear, as well as going towards training and other costs to support lifesaving efforts.
This is the second year of the five-year scheme. In January 2015 more than £800,000 was awarded to 21 charities across the UK.
Details of those who have shared the £1.7 million Government funding over the last two years can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-gives-915000-boost-to-water-rescue-charities and in the table below.
Maritime Minister Robert Goodwill, who is also the Ministerial Flood Recovery Envoy for Yorkshire, said:
“This funding recognises the enormous efforts of voluntary rescue boat teams and their tireless work in providing 24/7 services during emergencies and extreme weather.
“These groups often rely on charitable donations to sustain their operations. This additional funding will make a real difference to them and the communities they serve, enabling them to buy the essential equipment and training which will save more lives and keep crews safe.”
An expert panel – including representatives from the devolved administrations, Defra, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Royal National Lifeboat Institution, and the Royal Yachting Association – assessed applications submitted to the Department for Transport under the 2015/16 round of the scheme on the basis of:
– how the equipment or training will be used to support lifesaving, search and rescue operations and flood response capability locally and nationally
– whether the funding will deliver wider community benefits, and;
– how the equipment and skills will bring sustainable benefits
Bids for funding were accepted from UK charities as defined in the Charities Act 2006. Other criteria are set out in the guidance notes published at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inshore-and-inland-lifeboat-grant-how-to-apply-2015-to-2016.
The annual £1 million fund also covers administration of the scheme.
Awards made under the Inland/Inshore Rescue Boat Charity grant scheme 2015/16: by region
Country
Region
County
Charity Name
Award
England
North East
Yorkshire
Runswick Bay Rescue Boat
Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team
York Rescue Boat
Humber Rescue
£5,930.00
£19,457.75
£30,612.00
£4,152.00
North West
Cumbria
Wasdale MRT
Ulverston Inshore Rescue
Maryport Inshore Rescue Boat
Duddon and Furness Mountain Rescue Team
International Rescue Corps
£12,436.62
£2,062.00
£38,128.01
£2,231.00
£16,800.00
Merseyside
Southport Offshore Rescue Trust
£33,825.00
Lancashire
Bolton Mountain Rescue Team
£10,600.00
East Midlands
Northamptonshire
Maritime Volunteer Service (Rushden unit)
£3,863.90
Derbyshire
Watersafe UK Search and Rescue Team
£35,990.00
West Midlands
West Midlands
West Mercia Search and Rescue
Central Rescue UK
£32,914.15
£6,150.00
Worcester
Mercia Inshore Search & Rescue
£7,050.00
South East
East Sussex
Pett Level Independent Boat Rescue Association
Seaford Lifeguards
Hastings and St. Leonards Voluntary Lifeguard Club
£21,000.00
£8,500.00
£2,214.00
Isle of Wight
Ryde Inshore Rescue
Freshwater Independent Lifeboat
Sandown & Shanklin Inshore Lifeboat
£18,710.00
£14,633.00
£28,590.10
Surrey
Surrey Search and Rescue
£17,000.00
Kent
Kent Search and Rescue
£15,917.91
South West
Devon
Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team (Okehampton)
Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team Plymouth
£8,307.90
21,401.67
Dorset
RLSS Poole Lifeguard
Wessex Flood Rescue Unit
£8,436.00
£28,470.00
Somerset
Hope Cove Lifeboat
BARB Search & Rescue
£3,316.66
£16,406.00
Gloucestershire
Severn Area Rescue Association
£13,404.00
Wiltshire
Serve On
£15,256.80
East
Norfolk
Norfolk Lowland Search & Rescue
£39,372.00
South East
Hampshire
Portsmouth & Southsea voluntary lifeguards
Gosport & Fareham Inshore Rescue Service
Hamble Lifeboat
£74,018.00
£23,000.00
£24,970.00
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire Lowland Search and Rescue (Oxsar)
ERT Search and Rescue
£12,023.00
£17,713.60
Wales
Vale of Glamorgan
Civil Aid Voluntary Rescue Association (CAVRA)
£36,430.00
Swansea
Loughor Inshore Lifeboat
£9,656.25
Conwy
North Wales Mountain Rescue Association
£34,925.00
Bridgend
Rest Bay lifeguard
£29,275.00
Scotland
Moray
Moray Inshore Rescue
£5,037.36
Highland
East Sutherland Rescue Association (Dornoch)
£17,408.68
Dumfries and Galloway
Port William Inshore Rescue Service
£12,690.60
West Dunbartonshire
Loch Lomond Rescue Boat
£7,340.00
Northern Ireland
County Antrim
Lagan Search and Rescue
Lough Neagh
£20,910.00
£3,760.00
County Down
SARDA Ireland North
£8,920.00
Londonderry
Community Rescue Service
Foyle Search & Rescue
£21,100.00
£13,021.54