Bidding opens for lifeboat charity funding
Lifeboat charities across the UK can now bid for government cash for lifesaving equipment with the launch of this year’s Rescue Boat Grant Fund.
In May, the government announced it had secured a further GB£1m for the fund, taking it into its sixth year and bringing the overall total to GB£6M. The fund is open to search and rescue teams in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to buy new boats, engines or other equipment.
Announcing this year’s fund open for bids, as part of the UK Department for Transport’s first ever Maritime Safety Week, Maritime Minister Nusrat Ghani, said: “I’m proud that this fund has already helped more than 100 groups buy the vital boats and equipment they need to rescue those in need. I want to see even more people benefit from this fund this year.”
Benefits so far
So far, the scheme has paid for 82 new boats, more than 1,800 items of equipment for rescue operations and in excess of 5,000 items of crew kit to keep volunteers safe on missions.
OxSAR has received around GB£40,000 from the fund to buy a new rescue boat, life vests, dry suits and other equipment to help them find and rescue people, while also keeping the volunteers who risk their lives to save others safe.
As part of Maritime Safety Week, the government launched its Maritime Safety Action Plan, which sets out ambitious targets to cut the number of preventable deaths on UK waterways.
By Rebecca Jeffrey
