Fawley (August 14, 2006) -- Solent Rescue, an independent lifeboat station based on the Solent, has recently been given a donation of £1,350 to purchase much needed equipment courtesy of Esso and ExxonMobil Chemical at Fawley.

At the start of each new season the charity must replenish their stocks of items such as safety helmets and VHF radios and without ExxonMobil’s grant this would not have happened.

Solent Rescue is responsible for roughly 33 square miles of the central and west Solent and relies on the commitment of 20 volunteers to carry out their safety operations. The life-saving team are classed as 'inshore lifeboats', meaning they provide assistance to inshore water activities such as windsurfing, yachting and swimming.

“I would like to thank ExxonMobil for their continued support. Without their help it would be very difficult to continue offering the high level of cover that people have come to expect from our unit. So far, this year has been one of the busiest on record with over 25 incidents, ranging from boats on fire to injured children. We hope that no one needs us for the rest of the year but if they do we are always there to make the Solent as safe as possible,” said Ian Blomquist, Senior Coxswain.

Bill Fraser, organisational effectiveness manager at ExxonMobil, commented: “We are very pleased to be able to support this important voluntary service.  As a small boat owner myself it is nice to know the Solent Rescue team is there and ready to help.”