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Welsh search and rescue charities awarded £230k by UK Government
Alun Cairns: "Search and rescue volunteers are the unsung heroes of Wales"
Two Welsh search and rescue charities have been awarded almost £230,000 in funding from the UK government to improve safety across Wales’s waterways, coastlines and mountains, it was announced yesterday (29 January).
The Severn Area Rescue Association in Monmouthshire and the North Wales Mountain Rescue Association in Conwy were awarded £221,046 and £6,000 respectively to purchase state of the art rescue equipment.
Wales Office Minister Alun Cairns said:
Our search and rescue charities rely on an army of selfless volunteers who regularly put themselves in harms way in extreme weather conditions to save others. They are the unsung heroes of Wales and deserve all the support they can get.
That is why I am delighted that the Severn Area Rescue Association and the North Wales Mountain Rescue Association have been awarded this funding in recognition of the invaluable role they play in keeping Wales safe.
The grants were part of a £750,000 fund to 20 lifeboat charities across the UK. The scheme will provide up to £1 million per annum, this year and over the next four years, for projects that provide equipment for lifesaving charities.
The scheme was announced as part of the 2014 Budget Statement and the grants for 2014/15 will be awarded before the end of March 2015. A second round of the grant scheme will begin in summer this year.
The Severn Area Rescue Association provides a 24/7 search-and-rescue service in the Severn Estuary. It is the largest independent lifeboat service in the UK, with 12 operational boats and approximately 170 personnel.
The North Wales Mountain Rescue Association covers an area from mid to north Wales and across to Cheshire and comprises Aberdyfi, Aberglaslyn, Llanberis, North East Wales, Ogwen Valley and South Snowdonia.
View details of the winning grants across the UK, including an interactive map
