A CAMPAIGN to raise £500,000 to set up an independent lifeboat service in St Abbs in the Scottish Borders has got off to a roaring start.
Within a week of launching the appeal, residents in the tiny fishing village, which is one of the UK’s largest diving areas, have raised over £10,000.
The St Abbs Lifeboat campaign set up St Abbs Community Trust, a registered charity, to raise enough money to fund a quality boat, crew and medical supplies as well as pay for running costs after the RNLI pulled out last month, ending its 104-year history in the village.
Campaigners fought for four months to save their lifeboat with a high-profile campaign, which had support from top politicians, the British and Scottish sub aqua clubs, GPs, the National Trust for Scotland as well as a 13,000 signature petition. However, the RNLI refused to back down and moved its operations to nearby Eyemouth.
Now local people are determined to get their own boat up and running because without one in the harbour used by thousands of watersport enthusiasts, they believe lives are at risk.
The sheer determination of the locals and the former crew members to make it happen has already reaped rewards of £10,000 within a week through online donations on their JustGiving page.
The fundraising is being co-ordinated by Alistair Crowe, former St Abbs lifeboat operations manager, and Euan Gibson, who co-ordinated the campaign to save the lifeboat station.
They now have more than £20,000 after adding in the £10,000 raised by a gala day earlier this year in St Abbs.
Gibson said: “We are very grateful for all the generous donations we have had so far, and all the offers of help and advice.
“In total, including funds left from the previous campaign to keep the station open, we have in the region of £20,000 towards our aim of putting a lifeboat back in St Abbs.
“We have had great support and advice from other ‘independents’ dotted around the UK who have made contact, and we plan to visit a few to see for ourselves how they run an independent lifeboat station.
“We had a well-attended fundraising meeting, and there were lots of good ideas from lots of people.
“We will shortly be launching new ranges of clothing and merchandise with our new logo on them, which will be available through our website.
“We have received invites to a number of diving conferences, both in Scotland and England, to promote our appeal and expand on our plans, so the support and interest is still high.”
He said £1000 had come from a local charity fly-fishing competition and many donations had been made by divers and dive clubs from all over the UK.
They are planning a number of local fundraising event including a charity darts match, race night and coffee mornings.
Find out more and donate to the cause by going to ww.stabbslifeboat.org.uk.
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