Wynyard, UK – A Tyneside-based coastal rescue charity that’s been saving lives for more than 155 years has landed a £250 grant from the Venator Community Fund.
Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade (TVLB) is one of 40 organisations to have benefited from the fund, which has handed out more than £50,000 to schools, community groups and charities across the region since it was launched in 2018.
Formed following the tragic loss of 32 lives from stricken ships on November 24, 1864 at the Black Middens rocks at Tynemouth, the charity is the oldest and one of only three remaining active volunteer life brigades in the UK. As well as providing a 24-hour, 365-day multi-disciplinary shore-based coastal rescue service, it also visits local schools and community groups to provide advice and guidance on sea safety and drowning prevention. In 2019 alone, TVLB educated more than 4,000 children from 17 different schools in the region.
TVLB intends to put the Venator cash towards the purchase of essential first aid training equipment, including baby and child mannequins that are used to improve the skills and competency of its volunteers.
Peter Lilley, treasurer of TVLB, said: “Our charity has been saving lives for more than 155 years and has constantly evolved and developed to meet the increased demand for its services. To keep improving our service, we do rely on donations and grants so we were delighted when we heard that our application for a grant from the Venator fund had been successful.
“We’ll put it towards equipment and training that could potentially save someone’s life.”
Karen Fenwick, Vice President Corporate Branding and Communications at Venator, said: “Our fund is designed to support worthy causes that have the same values as we do, and Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade certainly falls into that category.”
Venator is a New York Stock Exchange listed business with its global HQ at Wynyard. The company established its Community Fund in 2018 to support the communities in which its employees live and work.