The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) have today announced a partnership that will secure £300,000 of funding for the life-saving charity.
The vital funds will support training of the RNLI's volunteer lifeboat crew members at four lifeboat stations on the Suffolk and Essex coasts over the next three years.
SSE, which is one of the companies developing what will be the world's biggest offshore wind farm at Greater Gabbard in the North Sea, will fund crew training for RNLI lifeboat stations at Lowestoft, Aldeburgh, Harwich and Southwold.
Only one in 10 RNLI volunteers has a professional maritime occupation and regular crew training is vital, allowing them to go to sea and save lives.
It costs over £1,200 a year to train each crew member and the RNLI relies on support from organisations such as SSE and members of the public to help it meet training costs.
Announcing the partnership during a visit to the RNLI Lowestoft lifeboat station today, Ian Marchant, SSE's Chief Executive, said: "SSE is developing a number of large-scale wind farms off the UK coast and in common with our onshore wind farms we look for appropriate ways to bring benefit to the communities that host them.
"Clearly, there is no offshore community in the conventional sense of the word, but I'm sure everyone would agree that all sea-farers constitute a community in their own right. For this reason we looked to partner with an organisation that is universally appreciated by offshore workers, fishermen, merchant seamen, recreational sailors and swimmers - the RNLI.
"I am impressed by the commitment the RNLI has to providing world-class training for its volunteer lifeboat crew members and I am personally delighted that we are able to help support this."
David Brann, Fundraising and Communications Director for the RNLI, showed Ian Marchant the facilities at the charity's Lowestoft Lifeboat Station and introduced him to some of the many volunteers.
David said: "We're delighted that SSE recognises the full value of the training we provide. Also that Ian demonstrated his commitment to the partnership by visiting the RNLI's Lowestoft lifeboat station to see for himself the work that we do and to meet just a few of the people who voluntarily put their trust in their training when going to the aid of others.
"The RNLI is at the heart of the community in the UK and Republic of Ireland and is very appreciative of the support SSE will provide for its life saving work over the next three years. The RNLI is excited at the prospect of working with SSE and believes that there is scope for the partnership to develop in the future."
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Source: Scottish and Southern Energy - 22/11/09 |
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