B&M Offers Bags of Support to Welsh RNLI Crews

RNLI volunteers at Aberystwyth, Trearddur Bay, Rhyl and Holyhead were delighted to have been selected as benefactors. The cash will be used to purchase Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) currently being rolled by the charity.

The PLBs will be stored inside the lifejackets of crew members, and can be activated in the rare event of a volunteer getting into difficulty at sea. When activated, a signal is sent to overhead satellites, which transmit a message with the position to the MCA Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Falmouth. The necessary Search and Rescue (SAR) assets (usually the RNLI at sea) can be deployed with the help of a local radio signal which is also transmitted by the beacon to the correct location to find the person in distress.

Matt Crofts, RNLI Divisional Operations Manager for north Wales says:

‘RNLI volunteers give the charity a tremendous amount of time and commitment and we owe it to them to provide the very best training, equipment and support. PLBs are designed to help take the search out of search and rescue, so in the unlikely event of one of our crews getting into trouble whilst at sea, rescue services will know exactly where to find them.

‘As a charity which relies entirely on voluntary contributions for income, we are very grateful to B&M for their kind donation which has made the roll-out of this project possible at the four stations in north Wales.’

B&M currently has stores in both Rhyl and Aberystwyth, as well as a new stored planned to open in Holyhead later this summer. Staff have a close affiliation with the coast so were keen to offer their vote to the RNLI.

Colin Rockliffe, Area Manager for B&M in North Wales says:

‘Our staff have great respect and admiration for RNLI crews, especially as they are all volunteers. We are delighted to be giving something back to the community and feel it is imperative these brave crews who keep out coastline safe are also kept as safe as possible when saving lives.’

Photo Credit: RNLI/Nicholas Leach