Safe station’s cash for lifeboat
THE LERWICK branch of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) benefited from a £1,500 donation from Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) recently, thanks to an outstanding safety record for the year.
SSE’s Lerwick offices and power station donated £500 to celebrate no environmental incidents, £500 for no accidents involving personnel and £500 for the implementation of its safety plan, over the last year. Unusually, the company took the decision to donate the entire amount to the one charity following a family member of one of its staff being rescued by the Lerwick lifeboat.
Lifeboat operations manager Malcolm Craigie said: “In May this year the Lerwick lifeboat was called out to a boat on a fishing trip that had suffered engine failure. The boatman – concerned for the wellbeing of the three young boys onboard – took appropriate action by setting off a flare to alert the lifeboat, and a successful rescue was undertaken.
“One of the boys was the grandson of SSE employee Anne Sutherland. Appreciative of the services of the Lerwick station, Anne nominated the RNLI for the annual donations from her employer. The RNLI is very grateful to Scottish and Southern Energy for its support.”
SSE station maintenance manager Darren Hitchin accepted the award on behalf of his colleagues at the company’s recent safety conference in St Andrews.
Operations manager Bob Kelman said: “We are delighted to have our safety record recognised in this way and we are equally pleased to be able to help support such an important local service. The Lerwick lifeboat has particular significance to our team this year because they recently rescued the grandson of one of our team.”
