The Helensburgh branch of the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) will take possession of an Atlantic 85 class rescue lifeboat before the end of 2017 and needs to provide training for the four-strong crew that will occupy it. The equipment aboard this vessel is more complex than that contained on the existing boat used by the RNLI, meaning that significant amounts of training are needed.
It has been estimated that this will cost £20,000 and it is hoped that the appeal will bring in the necessary funds. As part of the appeal, a page has been created on the fundraising site JustGiving, and according to the Helensburgh Advertiser the plea reads:
“Crew training is a continuous process and the learning never stops. Training costs £20,000 per year. Please help us fund crew training at Helensburgh Lifeboat Station and save many more lives.”
The tasks undertaken by the volunteers are of vital importance, but also frequently dangerous. The area they cover includes both banks of the River Clyde, in addition to Gareloch and Loch Long.
Organisations such as this often use places offering leaflet printing to help them with publicity and attracting new volunteer recruits.