Almost £20,000 has been granted to Sandown & Shanklin Independent Lifeboat (SSILB) by the Department for Transport.
The life-saving charity will use the £19,707 from the Inshore and Inland Rescue Boat Fund to purchase a newer launch tractor to replace the existing model, which is reaching the end of its useful life. Maintenance of this tractor is the charity’s largest yearly outgoing expense.
The grant will also assist the organisation in purchasing a direction finding VHF radio and updated helmets fitted with internal radios. All of these items will improve emergency response times.
Mark Birch, Operations Manager for SSILB says:
“The lifeboat station is grateful to the Department for Transport for such a significant grant. Raising this amount of money by normal fundraising means would normally take a number of years and this grant allows us to realise the benefits now”.
Freshwater Independent Lifeboat have also received £20,000 from the DfT. Ryde Inshore Rescue have been granted around £5,000.
