Specifically with Christmas in mind, the team at South Shields based Solar Solve Marine made donations to two local good causes connected with the Sea and the Marine Industry. It had again been decided that rather than purchase corporate Christmas gifts for its special customers the money would be better used by a charitable organisation. The current harsh economic times put a strain on charities due to there being less income for people to make a donation and coupled with a consensus within the industry that corporate Christmas gifts are a thing of the past anyway, once again the company has been able to help marine related charities.
The first benefiting organisation was the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), which operates 444 lifeboats from 236 lifeboat stations around the coasts of the United Kingdom and is an organisation that Solar Solve has supported in previous years. RNLI lifeboats were launched 8,321 times last year rescuing 7,912 people and since it was first formed in 1824, RNLI’s lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved more than 140,000 lives.
A cheque for £500 was handed to Brian McDonald, 2nd. Station Mechanic at Tynemouth Lifeboat Station by Solar Solve’s Adam Reilly, Production Supervisor and Mark Weatherburn, Technical Administrator in front of Spirit of Northumberland, a Severn class lifeboat, as a ‘Thank you’ from the Solar Solve Team and all of their customers for the great work done by the RNLI.
Slightly nearer to Solar Solve’s Tyneside location is the South Shields branch of the Mission to Seafarers, another organisation that the company is proud to have supported for decades, with the bulk of the Christmas donation coming directly from its customers. For every Feedback Form that is completed by a customer and returned to Solar Solve during the year, £4 is donated to this worthwhile charity.
This year, thanks to some great customer support, £100 was presented to the local mission to go towards the annual Christmas lunch that is provided to seafarers from ships on the River Tyne who are away from their family and friends over the festive period, as well as local ex-seafarers who are also invited along to the celebration.
The cheque was handed over by Mark Weatherburn, Technical Administrator to Diane Erskine, Manager of the South Shields mission.
