New Inshore Lifeboat to be named at public event

SOUTHPORT Lifeboat's new inshore lifeboat will be officially named and blessed, on Saturday, 21 April 2018, at the Waterside Lodge, on the Marine Lake. The D-Class IB1 lifeboat will be named:- "Christopher Taylor" in memory of a 21 year old Southport man who sadly lost his life in the River Avon, Bath, in 2014.

The naming ceremony is open for everyone to attend, will start at 2.00pm, at the Waterside Lodge, on Marine Drive (next to the KFC Drive through), Southport.

Costing ₤67,000 from the RNLI, the Southport Offshore Rescue Trust were awarded a ₤33,825 grant by the Department for Transport to cover ½ of the cost of the vessel.

The remaining funds were raised through the lifeboat charity shop, on Everton Road, players of LifeboatLotto and kind donations by the public.

Nick Porter, Trustee Director and a Coxswain said:- "We hope many of you can attend the naming ceremony and make it a memorable day. As an independent charity, funds are generally come from the local area, so it is important for us to share this day with you."

The "Christopher Taylor" is the same IB1 lifeboat design that is currently used at over 100 RNLI stations around Britain, and benefits from an improved design from the older model previously used at Southport.

It is primarily used for shallow waters and on the Marine Lake, however is currently acting as the main vessel for Southport whilst the Southport Lifeboat "Heather White" is away for refit.

Mark Hesketh, a Coxswain of the Southport Lifeboat said:- "The new lifeboat vastly improves our ability to perform rescues on the Marine Lake and in shallow water off Southport, providing a faster response and better equipment than we previously had.  The old ILB was bought 2nd hand from the RNLI in 2005 and has been a reliable servant and training boat for us, however it has begun to deteriorate and it's been evident for the past few of years that it needs replacing soon."

Nick Porter continued:- "As everyone knows we have been working tirelessly to raise funds for a new lifeboat station for Southport. Being awarded over ₤30,000 by the DfT's Inshore and Inland Rescue Boat Grant Scheme has meant that we were able to order the boat whilst still working the new boathouse scheme. All of the Volunteers are striving to provide the best rescue service we can, and when the Heather White returns from her refit we will have 2 of the best lifeboats money can buy, soon to be housed in a purpose built Lifeboat Station in a prominent location."

Liverpool charity supported by Amazon Smile shoppers

ACTION on Addiction, the charity behind an addiction recovery programme in Liverpool, has joined Amazon Smile. Customers who shop with AmazonSmile can choose to support Action on Addiction before they start shopping, enabling the charity to receive donations from Amazon.

After selecting Action on Addiction as their chosen charity, customers who visit:- Smile.Amazon.Co.UK will donate 0.5% of the net purchase price of eligible products (excluding VAT, shipping fees, and returns) to the charity, at no additional cost to Action on Addiction or the customer.

Action on Addiction delivers 'Clouds in the Community,' a community based treatment programme focused on long term recovery and abstinence; and also manages social enterprise, The Brink, the City's 1st dry bar and restaurant.

Amazon customers' contributions to the charity will support all aspects of the Action on Addiction charity, including:- treatment, education and research.

Graham Beech, Chief Executive of Action on Addiction, says:- "Everyone knows someone in the grip of addiction, but when addiction takes hold everyone needs someone they can turn to for help. Action on Addiction's mission is to offer the most effective treatment possible to those affected by addiction, irrespective of their ability to pay. Our ambition is to reach more people in more places and offer more individuals, families and communities the chance of help, hope and ultimately freedom from addiction.  Anyone who signs up to Amazon Smile and nominates Action on Addiction as their chosen charity will: enable us to sustain and grow the quality and effectiveness of our programmes through investment in research, training and staff development; enable us to develop new innovations in the way we treat and care for the people we work with; and above all, strengthen our ability to reach out and offer more people the life saving treatment they need in the face of this life stopping condition."

More information about the charity is available on its website:- ActionOnAddiction.Org.UK.