THE Port Isaac RNLI has benefitted from fundraising recently.

Mid Herts Divers (MHD), based in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, hosted a fish and chip night on January 24, raising £100 for the RNLI.

The money was presented to the RNLI’s Welwyn Garden City branch, who generously directed it to their coastal twin branch in Port Isaac to support their fundraising appeal for a new inshore lifeboat.

MHD members enjoy scuba diving all around the beautiful UK coast and know how important the RNLI volunteers are for saving lives at sea.

Tanya Warren from MHD said: “MHD would like to encourage all inland BSAC dive clubs to support their own local RNLI fundraisers and share ideas for events. We have friends in Potters Bar BSAC and hope to arrange some joint fundraising events in the near future.”

The RNLI Welwyn Garden City branch is a small group of fundraising volunteers who raise between £7,000 to £10,000 every year, with every penny going to the RNLI and a proportion to Port Isaac to support their activities for equipment or crew training.

Port Isaac launched their appeal for £52,000 to fund a new D Class lifeboat in November 2017. A D class inshore lifeboat has served Port Isaac since 1967 but the present one, the Copeland Bell, has reached the end of its operational life and needs to be replaced.

The new lifeboat will be of the very latest design and will be faster, fitted out with high-tech navigation equipment and an updated first aid kit.

The appeal aims to raise the total amount needed to provide the lifeboat, its engine and all relevant equipment to help save lives at sea.

Bob Bulgin, volunteer RNLI chairman of Port Isaac RNLI, said the station are extremely grateful for the support from all over the UK and as far as America. He said: “Thank you so much to the Mid Herts Divers for their generous donation; we’re so pleased they got to enjoy a fish supper at the same time as contributing to our appeal for a new D Class lifeboat.”

People wishing to support the appeal can donate in a number of ways; by sending a cheque made out to the Port Isaac Lifeboat Appeal c/o Port Isaac Lifeboat Station, Slipway Hotel Garage, Port Isaac, Cornwall, PL29 3RL or by contacting the station chairman Bob Bulgin on 01208 880 765 or [email protected]

Members of the public can also support the many RNLI events due to be held in the coming months at Port Isaac. Additional information will be provided on the station’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/rnliportisaac