Moray Inshore Rescue Organisation use grant from The Gordon and Ena Baxter Foundation for dry docking system
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LOCAL lifesaving volunteers put a £5000 grant towards equipment essential for their role.
With the help of the funding from The Gordon and Ena Baxter Foundation, Moray Inshore Rescue Organisation (MIRO) has purchased a brand new floating drive-on dry docking system at a total cost of £10,444.
Senior coxswain Simon Paterson explained the dock will extend the life of MIRO's rescue boat, the Glyn Whitehead III.
He said: "Sitting on the dock, the boat is out of the water when not in use. Time ashore for cleaning barnacles off the bottom of the boat is also significantly reduced, enabling the boat to be in service more of the time.
"Our training programme has been reduced due to the coronavirus pandemic, however, several members of our crew are now trained and competent in recovering the boat to the dry dock."
The process of dry-docking refers to when a vessel is taken to the service yard and brought to dry land so that submerged portions of the hull can be cleaned and inspected. This work is both preventative as well as a regulatory requirement within the industry.
MIRO chairman, John Low, confirmed his team are extremely grateful to The Gordon and Ena Baxter Foundation.
He said: "It is a very timely purchase alongside our new rescue boat and has been put to good use docking the Glyn Whitehead III on the pontoon at Findhorn Marina since lockdown restrictions on water sports were lifted towards the end of May.
"Our volunteers have been kept busy with 22 call outs between May 30 and October 20!"
Anyone can raise funds for MIRO by shopping on Amazon Smile and selecting Moray Inshore Rescue Organisation as the charity to benefit from Amazon donations every time they shop.
MIRO is also registered with Virgin Money Giving, making it easy to donate on-line by logging on to Virgin Money Giving and searching for MIRO.
Every penny donated to Moray Inshore Rescue goes directly into the charity funds.
Find out more about MIRO at www.morayinshorerescue.org.
