WightSAR – the Island’s volunteer search and rescue team – are appealing for donations after their Incident Control Vehicle broke down this week.
**Click here to donate**
Their 2008 Mercedes Sprinter was returning from an incident in Ryde – where a local person went missing – before their van broke down and was in need of recovery.
Recovery agents Stag Lane Motors recovered their vehicle during the early hours of Thursday morning and are currently working to mend the issue.
A spokesperson for WightSAR has this afternoon (Friday) said:
“With fundraising activity ceased due to COVID 19 this unexpected & large bill will hit our charity hard.”
However, thanks to a £20,000 grant by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks in April last year, they can remain fully operational by using their donated Ford Ranger 4×4 pickup truck.
The volunteer search and rescue team for the Isle of Wight are seeking donations, however big or small, that can go towards the unexpected repair bill.
WightSAR will be very grateful if anyone can help, fundraise or donate what they can to get their vehicle back on the road as soon as possible – and save lives.
Volunteers remain on call 24/7, 365 days a year, in all weathers to help find high risk missing people across the Isle of Wight.
They do not receive any central funding but every penny in donations goes into supporting searches.
WightSAR adds:
“A big thank you in anticipation from all the WightSAR Team”
Donate
To help support WightSAR in raising funds – you can donate via this link.
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For more information about the Island’s volunteer search and rescue team – you can visit their website here.
Below are some photos of the volunteers on some recent search missions.
UPDATE SATURDAY @ 19:22 – Within 24 hours of Island Echo sharing this appeal on behalf of WightSAR, they have raised a staggering £745.00 (£150 in donations and £95.00 gift aid)
This is a very worthwhile cause and if we all pitch in with a few quid the problem will be solved.
Well I hope that all of those searched for and rescued have made large donations themselves…
Wightsar do a fantastic job, people do not understand the full intensity of what wightsar do, there are some that are judgemental of the people that do this but they should get off their arses and get to know these people and find out the truth behind these people before being judgemental! They do a wide range of things and come from a wide range of backgrounds with many reasons for doing it. God forbid that some of you find yourselves or your families in these situations one day, you never know what life will throw at you! That’s why I joined one day but unfortunately I can no longer do so due to ongoing health issues but I do still try to support them from afar as often as I can because I know what they have to deal with and they do not not get paid for it and they are deserving of our community’s help because they do help our other emergency services to help take pressure off of them when needed. I really hope the rest of our community helps, even if most people could spare a couple of pound it would soon add up x optimistic I know on here!
How much is the repair bill?
Done 🙂 Great work WightSAR
Iv just donated