Scotmid Co-op says its year-long charity partnership with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has raised £274,000.
The funding has enabled the RNLI to fund a new Atlantic 85 lifeboat, which will form part of the relief fleet used by stations to assist in critical rescues during times when vessels are undergoing repairs or maintenance. The new lifeboat will be named the Spirit of Cooperation, in honour of the retailer’s values and core purpose.
Jill Hepburn, head of region for the RNLI in Scotland, said: “We are extremely grateful for the efforts made by Scotmid colleagues, members and customers, who have raised both funds and awareness for RNLI throughout the year.
“The Atlantic 85 is one of the fastest in the RNLI’s fleet and given 90% of our rescues take place less than one mile from shore, our newest addition, the Spirit of Cooperation, will help save countless lives across our communities.”
The new boat has the capacity to carry four crew members as well as core medical and rescue equipment. Critically, it has the space to transport several additional people, making it ideal for a range of open water incidents.
John Brodie, recently retired CEO of Scotmid, said: “It has been brilliant to see so many colleagues get ‘on board’ with our charity partnership this year, and I’m very proud to see our goal to fund a new lifeboat achieved. RNLI’s values, which centre around serving our communities, resonate with our own. It is extra special to me that this partnership was realised during my final year with Scotmid. We are delighted to support the charity’s vital work.”
Staff working in Scotmid’s food stores, Semichem stores, Scotmid Funerals and Lakes & Dales stores across Scotland, Northern Ireland and Northern England came together to fundraise through a range of events, including a Lift a Lifeboat Challenge.
