Local house builder Beal Homes is to support Humber Rescue, the independent charity responsible for the provision of a fast-response rescue boat on the rivers of the Humber Estuary, in its 2015 fundraising activities.
Beal Homes moved to new headquarters at Hessle in January 2014 not far from Humber Rescue’s base and boathouse on the Humber foreshore beneath the Bridge’s north tower. Now Beal Homes has pledged to help by raising money for the charity from events and collection boxes in its marketing suites.
Humber Rescue provides around the clock rescue service for incidents over 540 square miles of the region’s rivers, including the Trent, Ouse, Hull and Humber.
“The River Humber is said to be one of the most dangerous navigable rivers in the world and even the most experienced of navigators can be caught out by its shifting sands and seven knot currents,” said Humber Rescue crew member Andy Marshall. “Each year we attend around one hundred call outs with our volunteer crew members exchanging leisure, comfort and sleep for cold, wet and fatigue. Any support for our activities from local businesses is most welcome.”
Humber Rescue is entirely dependent on donations from the public, fund raising events and the generosity of local businesses to maintain its service. Funds raised by Beal Homes during 2015 will go towards boathouse and boat maintenance, which costs about £60K a year, and fuel for the boat which responds to an average of 100 call outs a year using £100 to £200 of fuel each time, says Andy Marshall.
Beal Homes’ events co-ordinator Emily Douglas commented, “As a family-run company building homes in East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire we are aware of the excellent service Humber Rescue provide and greatly admire the volunteer crew for all they do. So, we are delighted to lend our support by nominating Humber Rescue as our charity for 2015 and hope to generate a worthwhile contribution for them over the coming year.”
Humber Rescue was established in 1990. In an emergency the boat can be launched within seven minutes of an alert being received.
Crew members work hard to raise funds, but more help is welcomed. To find out more about how you can help with fundraising visit Humber Rescue’s website.
Humber Rescue also played an important support role during the floods in 2007 and more recently on December 5, 2013. Members of the team are to receive training from Humberside Fire and Rescue on their new Ark Project based around fast flowing water, training for which funds are also required.
Beal Homes, which was established over 45 years ago, today employs around 130 people in East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and is currently building new homes in East Yorkshire at Kingswood Parks, Hull, and in Lincolnshire at Gainsborough, Wragby, Waddington and Burton Waters near Lincoln. New homes developments will shortly be launched in the East Riding villages of Willerby and Etton.