The families of St Abbs have delved into their past for the first fundraising push for an independent lifeboat at a mothballed station that served the coastline for more than a century.
Images of the picturesque Berwickshire harbour and its striking yet treacherous surrounding coastline are to be compiled as a history of the village and its seafaring heritage in a book.
The community has moved to set up its own service after the Royal National Lifeboat Institution moved its lifeboat to Eyemouth two miles south last month.
The St Abbs volunteers are known to have saved more than 200 and rescued countless others in 104 years in operation.
A new governing body, St Abbs Community Trust, has been registered as a charity and fundraising for £500,000 has started.
It is hoped the compendium of the history of the village and surrounding areas will kick-start the effort.
The trust will take over and operate the existing lifeboat station at St Abbs, which was closed last month.
There are about 70 independent services around the UK with four in Scotland including the Loch Lomond Rescue service, mostly paid for locally.
The St Abbs Lifeboat campaign is being spearheaded by Alistair Crowe and Euan Gibson and backed by volunteers.
Mr Crowe said: “Our job as a lifeboat crew is to continue to save lives on this coast.
"A lifeboat at St Abbs is not a luxury it is an essential public safety requirement given the growth in leisure activities and the natural geography of the coastline.
"For anyone in trouble at sea it is not about the flag on the boat, it is all about the skill and knowledge of the crew.
"This is a dramatic and treacherous stretch of coast on a big arc at the southern approach to the Firth of Forth."
Mr Gibson said: "Our petition to the RNLI had over 13,000 signatures from both within the UK and from over 40 countries all over the world.
"The campaign was also supported by the Scottish and British Sub Aqua Clubs among others.
"We currently estimate that approximately £250,000 should be allocated to the boat and related crew and medical equipment, and that a further £250,000 should be raised initially towards liquid funds.
"The appeal will also remain open for ad hoc and regular subscription in keeping with charitable practice for lifeboats in the UK."
www.stabbslifeboat.org.uk
http://campaign.justgiving.com/charity/stabbs/lifeboat
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