Time for an update! Recently, we had to ask our local community to support our charity and to help us return to the ‘new normal’ at the boat house.

As the relaxation of some restrictions mean a return to a more active community role, we’ve been faced with an extended challenge: the impact of lockdown and restrictions on group activities have had a real impact on our ability to fundraise. And at the same time, extra costs have arisen for the additional, necessary precautions and PPE which allow our volunteers to meet safely. These precautions also allow us to provide rescue and First Aid services in accordance with restrictions and distancing regulations.

So we launched an appeal on social media, asking for donations of PPE. And the response? Just amazing ! We’ve had individuals, community clubs, businesses – in fact, all kinds of people – offering help and vital items.

We’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who responded so positively. This includes several anonymous individuals:

• One of whom donated fabric.
• Another helper (who’d like to remain anonymous) sewed this into 30 masks for us!
• Another kind individual also donated some disposable gloves.

We’d also like to say a public thank you to Dawn Hyland, whose sewing group made some masks for us, using their own fabric stash.

PPE – plus a little extra help

There’s also a special thank you to Darren McCarthy and members of the Freemason Lodge of the White Rock No.7891. The Lodge donated 6 boxes of disposable masks, 6 boxes of disposable gloves and 10 litres of hand gel with dispensing pumps. They also added a donation of £100, to help the extra equipment and cleaning costs along!  

On a quick visit to the PLIRB boathouse on Sunday 9th August, Darren handed the PPE to our delighted volunteers. The cheque for £100 was gratefully received by PLIRB Treasurer, Stella Dunn (photo above).

Handing over the cheque, Darren told us: “It’s what we do, we try to help local causes. What I saw the post on Facebook, I knew we could do something.”

We’re extremely grateful to everyone in the community who went to such time and effort to support our charity in our PPE appeal.

It’s a great relief to share that we’re now confident that we have what we need to help maintain a Covid-secure presence when our volunteers, visitors and (potentially) casualties or members of the public are at the boathouse.

With all of our fundraising events in 2020 cancelled, the Freemasons’ donation of £100 is an additional, and very welcome surprise. It will be used to help us meet some of the immediate extra costs facing us as we continue to provide a 24/7 on-call rescue response on the local coastline.

A very sincere thank you to everyone who responded to this appeal.

Whilst you’re here …

As an independent rescue service, we are run by volunteers and fundraise to buy all of our own equipment and to pay our considerable running costs. Since the pandemic began, these costs have risen to over £10,000 a year.

If you like the work we do and would like to support us, your donation would really be appreciated and would, ultimately, help us to help those in danger on our local coastline.

Thank you so much, from the volunteers at Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat.