Macduff RNLI thanks Gardenstown community for support

Macduff's RNLI crew visited the community of Gardenstown to change out collection boxes and thank local businesses and people for their support.

First stop for the members and mascot Stormy Stan was the Garden Arms Hotel which hosts a weekly pub quiz for two charities, with half the proceeds going to the RNLI.

Together with donations in the collecting boat on the bar, Garden Arms customers support the RNLI to the tune of more than £1000 annually.

Loraine Toal, co-owner of the Garden Arms said: “Gardenstown earns it’s living from the sea, whether through fishing, or tourism, or seafood served in restaurants like the Garden Arms.

"Naturally we’re going to support the RNLI – they’re a vital part of our community.”

It was next on to The Wee Shoppie on Main Street where owner Steve Tokelove was also exchanging an overloaded collecting box for an empty one.

Mr Tokelove said: “Every day in summer, the bay is full of people swimming or enjoying themselves in boats or on paddleboards.

"We all offer advice on enjoying the water safely, but the RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crews are a vital lifeline when people get into difficulty.”

Kyle Park, a volunteer crew member at the RNLI ‘s Macduff Lifeboat joined Stormy Stan on their goodwill tour in Gardenstown.

He said: “These local businesses and their customers are real lifesavers. Lifeboats along the Moray coast receive thousands of pounds in donations annually from local businesses having collecting boxes on their bar tops and counters.

"Without that money we wouldn’t have the equipment, fuel and training with which to do our charitable work of saving lives at sea in Moray.”

Macduff Lifeboat Station is one of six RNLI stations providing lifesaving cover along the Moray Firth: the others are at Fraserburgh, Buckie, Kessock (Inverness), Invergordon and Wick.

Any business in the Moray Coast area interested in having a RNLI collection box can contact their local RNLI lifeboat station or email volunteerexperience@rnli.org.uk

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