Rescuers stunned at £250,000 lifeboat cash gift from Scotland’s richest man

SCOTLAND’S richest man has come to the aid of an independent group of lifesavers in the north by buying them a new lifeboat.

Anders Holch Povlsen’s company Wildland has given almost £250,000 to purchase and equip the new vessel which has left rescuers “speechless”.

The volunteer-led lifeboat charity

East Sutherland Rescue Association (ESRA) will boost its capacity to respond quickly and safely to inshore emergencies with the deployment of the new, state-of-theart, 8m rescue boat.

The fully licensed, rigid inflatable vessel, which can reach 40 knots, is being commissioned, together with a bespoke-designed trailer and a

Softrak launch and recovery vehicle.

The entire cost of purchasing, fitting out and licensing the vehicles for use in coastal rescue, totalling £245,000, will be met thanks to the generosity of Mr Povlsen’s Highlands-based land conservation and tourism business, Wildland Limited.

Hugh Fullerton-smith, trustee and crew member of East Sutherland Rescue Association, said:“it has been critically apparent for some time that the challenges ESRA faces in keeping our Sutherland waters safe for tourists, fishermen and sailors are growing.

“That meant an urgent upgrade to our existing boat, Glen Cassley, which does a great job, but which we are rapidly outgrowing. We need greater capacity to ensure we can continue to respond safely to a range of emergencies that the bigger lifeboats can’t easily service due to shallow water depths.”

“The amazing generosity of Wildland Limited, who have paid these costs in full, has left us speechless.”