Shipshape to save lives

22/12/2006

A life-saving charity is on the crest of a wave of goodwill from water workers.

Health and safety conscious Northumbrian Water employees have donated £2958 to the RNLI Sunderland Lifeboat Station.

The money, which has been raised though the water company’s Care for Safety Challenge, will go towards the RNLI Train One, Save Many appeal. 

Northumbrian Water’s contribution will help train crew to rescue those in peril at sea.  It costs £1000 to train each crew member every year.

Essential training turns ordinary people into lifeboat crew who can save lives safely and effectively.  In 2006 the Sunderland RNLI volunteers have ventured out to sea more than one hundred times. 

Northumbrian Water’s Care for Safety Challenge has raised £112,825 for various charities since 2004.  The challenge uses raising money for chosen charities as an incentive for employees to think more about health and safety at work by spotting and reporting risks resulting in reduced accidents and improving the standard of accident and incident reports.

Each time a genuine potential health and safety issue is reported or an accident or incident is reported and paperwork is completed to a good standard a donation is made to the reporting department’s chosen charity.

Dean Lawson, Northumbrian Water’s health and safety adviser, said:  “Northumbrian Water’s Care for Safety challenge not only enhances the health and wellbeing of employees but also supports local charities and communities in our supply area.  It feels really good to support the RNLI at Sunderland which works tirelessly to save peoples’ lives.”

Paul Nicholson, senior helmsman at Sunderland RNLI, said:  “Everyone at Sunderland Lifeboat Station is extremely grateful to Northumbrian Water for their generous donation to the Train One, Save Many appeal.  The RNLI relies entirely on voluntary contributions for funding and so without support like this our crew couldn’t carry on training for and carrying out rescues off the North East coast.”