SSF staff raise funds for new lifeboat

triathletes

SCOTTISH Sea Farms’ employees, friends and family are celebrating after completing a gruelling triathlon in sweltering temperatures to raise £52,000 to buy the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) a new lifeboat.
The Scottish Sea Farms’ Triathlon Festival 2018 took place in the grounds of the University of Stirling, on one of the hottest weekends of the year so far, and involved sprint, relay and novice races, along with a mini mudder style challenge for under 16s.
This is the second year that the company has held its Triathlon Festival, which was introduced to give employees, customers, suppliers and their family and friends a reason to get active while raising money for good causes.
This year’s charity, the RNLI, was chosen following a company ballot, with the team setting themselves the challenge of raising enough to buy a new D class inshore lifeboat – the workhorse of the RNLI for more than 50 years.
A team of over 120 participants signed up to for the event, many putting in months of training.
Thanks to their dedication, and the family and friends who either joined them or supported them through donations, the event raised in excess of £38,000 towards the cost of the new lifeboat, with Scottish Sea Farms’ Heart of the Community initiative providing the remainder.
The RNLI also had its own stall within the festival village, selling branded goods to help raise additional funds on the day.
Lynsey Anderson, community fundraising manager for the RNLI, said: ‘Support on this level means everything to the RNLI. Our volunteer crew go out 24/7 in daylight and darkness, in good weather and in bad, to save lives at sea.
‘We’re not government funded, we’re reliant on public donations, so to have companies like Scottish Sea Farms rally round on our behalf is really something to see and the day itself has been incredible.’
Adding to the atmosphere, Olympic gold medal winning track cyclist Callum Skinner was on hand at the finish line to present participants with their medals.
Scottish Sea Farms managing director Jim Gallagher said: ‘The Triathlon Festival really sums up the spirit of Scottish Sea Farms: active, proactive and community spirited.
‘To use that same spirit to help support a cause as much needed, and as close to our hearts, as the RNLI is a truly proud moment for us all.
‘We’ve welcomed close to 300 people here today, and we’ve been supported along the way by many more, all of whom had one thing in mind – to help us achieve our target of a brand new lifeboat for the RNLI.’
Supporting Scottish Sea Farms in the run-up to the event and on the day itself was coaching and events team You Can Sport, and event planning specialists Event Full Solutions.
Picture (from left to right): Georgie Mackenzie, Scottish Sea Farms; Lynsey Anderson, RNLI; and RNLI mascot Stormy Stan

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