Town’s lifeboat station part of fundraising tour

A car mechanic from Northumberland will visit Oban next month as part of a tour of lifeboat stations along the west coast of Scotland.

Chris Mason, from Seahouses, embarked on the journey as part of a fundraising effort for the RNLI which involves visiting every lifeboat station in the British Isles.

The 57-year-old has been visiting the stations during his weekends and holidays since 2022, after being inspired by Saving Lives at Sea - a BBC documentary showcasing the vital service the RNLI provides.

“I was watching them on TV and thought it was mad how they don’t care what it takes to help people.

“I’ve already visited the stations at Lochinver and Kyle of Lochalsh,’ said Chris, who has already raised more than £1,000 for the charity.

He added: “I set up a Facebook fundraising page last year that raised £630, then started another one on Justgiving which has raised around £495 since January 2022. I’m going to be visiting all the lifeboat stations on the west coast of Scotland during a week in May, starting in Arran and finishing at Mallaig. The plan is to arrive in Oban on Wednesday May 10, then leave for Barra the next day.”

Unsurprisingly, his adventure will involve a lot of ferry travel and Chris has already booked 12 CalMac voyages to enable him to tick off the 238 RNLI lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland.

He will also be visiting the bases in Campbeltown, Islay, Tobermory, Kyle of Lochalsh and Stornoway, before making his way down the east coast of Scotland to Montrose.

More information about his fundraiser is available from the “Chris’s quest - lifeboat station tour” Facebook page.