An independent Dumfries and Galloway lifeboat service has received £5,000 in fuel support to help keep its boats, vehicles and volunteer crews ready to respond to emergencies.
Nith Inshore Rescue said Certas Energy and Stealth Competitions had each provided £2,500 towards the cost of fuel for its lifeboats and response vehicles.
The service covers the River Nith, the upper north-east Solway and surrounding inland waters in south-west Scotland.
It said the support would make a “real difference” to its operating costs over the next year, helping volunteer crews remain ready to respond to emergencies.
Nith Inshore Rescue receives no regular government funding and relies on fundraising, donations and business support to run its 24-hour, year-round service.
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The charity said fuel backing was "essential" to its operation, allowing crews to launch lifeboats and deploy vehicles when called to an incident.
Certas Energy said the donation would be provided through fuel cards, allowing the charity to access fuel at what it described as optimum rates over the coming 12 months.
Lindsay Martin, Certas Energy Regional Director, said: “Supporting vital community projects is part of our remit as the UK’s largest independent fuel distributor.
“When we heard about the fundraiser happening for Nith Inshore Rescue, it was natural for us to assist in this way. With the charity now having access to our fuel cards, it also means they can access fuel at optimum rates across the next 12 months.
“The search and rescue work the service provides is vital for this community and we are proud to be able to ensure its continuity for years to come.”
Stealth Competitions, an online platform that runs raffles and prize draws, has also provided £2,500 worth of fuel to support Nith Inshore Rescue.
Based in Glencaple, near Dumfries, the lifeboat covers the River Nith, upper northeast Solway and surrounding inland waters in southwest Scotland. It was founded in 1981 after a local tragedy on the river and operates out of the Glencaple Lifeboat Station, which was purpose-built in 1999.
The organisation is one of a small number of independent lifeboat services in the UK to hold Declared Facility Status from HM Coastguard.
Peter Bryden, chairman of Nith Inshore Rescue, said the service had faced an uncertain future without enough fuel to launch its lifeboat when required.
He said: “We were looking at an uncertain future if we didn’t have the fuel to launch our lifeboat as and when we need to.
“We had set up a fundraiser to rally the local community, but we all know that times are tough and there are only so many times you can rely on people’s generosity.
“We are incredibly grateful to Certas Energy. This donation has secured our future and will help save lives.”
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