National Commitments

Ruth Lee National Support Programmes

Our tag line “For Professionals Who Save Lives” reflects the commitment of the people we work for and we wanted to create a project which would provide financial help to rescue teams across the UK.

Frequently, life-saving teams are volunteers and under-funded – our Volunteer Heroes fund will provide financial support for teams throughout the UK.

Below are some photos sent to us by teams who have recieved support from our Volunteer Heroes project.

Ruth Lee Volunteer Heroes Project team

The National Volunteer Heroes Fund

The Volunteer Heroes Fund aims to provide financial support to volunteer rescue teams.

In need of new PPE? Or do you want to purchase new rescue equipment for your team? A maximum of £5,000 will be awarded to British Volunteer teams but this may be in one large donation, or several smaller donations to teams who need assistance.

HOW CAN I APPLY FOR FUNDING?

Simply apply via the online application form below. We want you to tell us more about your team, what you would like to purchase and ultimately, why your team deserves the funding.

There’s no catch, simply tell us why you deserve the support and in December 2022 we will select recipients of the Ruth Lee Volunteer Heroes Fund. We will also promote your endeavours to others through PR and publicity materials – hopefully encouraging further support from other sponsors.

APPLICATIONS ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED. Please get in touch for more information about future applications. 

2022

Severn Area Rescue Association (SARA)

Recieved: 1 Man Overboard Manikin, 1 Search and Rescue Manikin, 1 Confined Space Manikin, 1 Body Recovery Manikin

Severn Area Rescue Association is a specialist marine and land search rescue service for Gloucestershire, Hereford & Worcestershire, and Gwent.

Find out more: https://www.sara-rescue.org.uk/

2022

Sussex Search and Rescue

Recieved: £600 towards the cost of throw line bags and belts

Sussex Search & Rescue (SusSAR) is the primary volunteer resource used by Sussex Police to search for vulnerable missing people.

Find out more: https://www.sussar.org.uk/

2022

Bucks Search and Rescue

Recieved: Man Overboard Manikin

Bucks Search & Rescue (BSAR) assists Thames Valley Police in locating lost or missing vulnerable persons such as children or the elderly.

Find out more: https://www.bsar.org.uk/

2022

Môn Search and Rescue (Anglesey Search and Rescue)

Recieved: £1,000 for First Responder bag

Môn-SAR are a highly trained, dedicated and motivated volunteer lowland search and rescue team that provides emergency services and the community on Ynys Môn/Anglesey with specialist expertise to search for vulnerable missing people – 24/7, 365 days per year.

Find out more: https://m-sar.uk/

2022

Northamptonshire Search and Rescue

Recieved: £1,500 towards inflatable shelter/tend

Northamptonshire Search and Rescue are a Voluntary group who assist the police to locate missing persons in Northamptonshire.

Find out more: https://www.northantssar.org/

2022

Cheshire Search and Rescue Team

Recieved: £650 towards Barracks rent

Cheshire Search and Rescue is a team of volunteers, on-call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  Ready to deploy at any time, in any weather.

The primary function of the team is to assist Cheshire Police with searches for vulnerable missing people. But the team also has capability for flood response, evidence searching and assisting other emergency services as the need arises.

Find out more: www.cheshire-sarteam.org/

2022

Kent Search and Rescue

Recieved: Body Recovery Manikin

Kent Search and Rescue is a charitable organisation dedicated to assisting the emergency services in the search for and rescue of vulnerable missing persons.

Find out more: www.ksar.co.uk/

2022

K9 Search and Rescue NI

Recieved: Search & Rescue Manikin

K9 Search and Rescue (NI) are a professional all-volunteer canine Search and Rescue team specialising in providing certified area search (live victim) and Victim Recovery canines for coastal, urban, rural and disaster response in Northern Ireland

Find out more: https://www.k9searchandrescueni.org/

2022

York Rescue Boat

Recieved: Thermal Imaging Hood & x2 Manikin Carry Holdall

York Rescue Boat is an independent lifeboat and search and rescue team based in York, North Yorkshire.

FInd out more: https://www.yorkrescueboat.com/

2022

West Mercia Search and Rescue

Recieved: £986 towards underwater camera vehicle

West Mercia Search and Rescue is the official Lowland Rescue unit for the West Mercia Police area, operating as part of the UK’s rescue structure alongside Mountain Rescue, the Coastguard, RNLI and Lifeguards.

Find out more: https://westmerciasar.org.uk/

2022

Aviation Fire & Rescue Service

Recieved: Multi Trauma Manikin

Aviation Fire and Rescue Service provides cover for heritage sites and events based around in the south of England. The team is made up of Volunteers trained to national and/or Aviation and Domestic Firefighter standards.

Find out more: https://aviationfrs.co.uk/

2022

International Rescue Committee UK

The IRC is on the ground in Poland, working with local partners in Poland and Ukraine, to quickly mobilise resources that will provide life-saving support to civilians forced to flee their homes.

Find out more: https://www.rescue.org/uk/article/how-can-i-help-ukraine

2022

Association of Ukrainians In Great Britain

The largest representative body for Ukrainians in the UK, which has so far raised more than £1.1m, which will help fund medicine, food and other essentials for those in need.

Find out more: https://www.augb.co.uk/

2020

Royal Life Saving Society UK - RLSS UK

Recieved: £5,000

The RLSS are the UK’s leading provider of water safety and drowning prevention education. Built on years of experience the RLSS boast a strong force of loyal members and volunteers who work with us to promote water safety and educate in life saving skills.

Find out more: www.rlss.org.uk

2020

Friends of WSART

Recieved: £1,742

Friends of WSART are a charity that works to provide and raise funds to help support the Water Search and Rescue Teams around the UK.

Find out more: fowsart.org.uk

2020

North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team

Recieved: £1,000

North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team cover the whole of the Northumbria police force area and operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The team is a charity, run entirely by volunteers and reliant upon kind donations from the public to keep us operational.

Find out more: www.notmrt.org.uk

2019

Kent Search and Rescue

Recieved: £900 donation towards water rescue team kit

Kent Search and Rescue is a charitable organisation dedicated to assisting the emergency services in the search for and rescue of vulnerable missing persons.

Find out more: www.ksar.co.uk/

2019

Kenfig Sands SLSC

Recieved: £750 donation towards visibility kit

Probably the smallest Surf Lifesaving Club in the world. Operating out of the lifeguard hut on Sker beach (South Wales) providing water safety, first aid + information to the public, mostly on weekends throughout the summer.

The Club provides water safety, first aid, information and advice to the public at Sker beach. As the most westerly beach in Bridgend its location makes it remote and only accessible on foot or horseback.

Find out More: Kinfigsands

2019

British Cave Rescue Council

Recieved: £1,000 donation for rescue equipment

Formed in 1967 to represent and support its members at National and International level, promote the exchange of information between member rescue organisations and provide a common voice for them. The BCRC is a coordinating and not a governing body, the individual cave rescue organisations remain entirely autonomous and independent.

Find out more: www.caverescue.org.uk/

2019

Cheshire Search & Rescue Team

Recieved: Man Overboard Manikin

Cheshire Search and Rescue is a team of volunteers, on-call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  Ready to deploy at any time, in any weather.

The primary function of the team is to assist Cheshire Police with searches for vulnerable missing people. But the team also has capability for flood response, evidence searching and assisting other emergency services as the need arises.

Find out more: www.cheshire-sarteam.org/

2019

Merseyside Search and Rescue

Recieved: £500 donation towards cost of controller tech

Merseyside Search and Rescue Team is currently a probationary Lowland Rescue Team providing Merseyside Police with specialist search teams and equipment to assist in locating high risk, vulnerable, missing persons within Merseyside. In addition to which MerSAR can be called upon at any time to assists other Lowland Rescue teams in other counties.

Find out more: www.mersar.org.uk/

2019

Civil Aid Voluntary Rescue Association (CAVRA)

Recieved: Man Overboard Manikin

The Civil Aid Voluntary Rescue Association (C.A.V.R.A.) is a voluntary search and rescue organisation / registered charity, operating within South Wales and surrounding areas.

They are part of the Local, Regional and National Flood Response and are a DEFRA approved Flood Rescue Team (B122). Their purpose is to provide fully trained Back-up personnel to the Official Emergency Services in a range of situations, Including Searches for Missing Persons, Support at Public Events, During times of Adverse Weather Conditions and Natural Disasters (FLOODS, SNOW, Droughts and Heatwaves), and during Civil Emergencies

Find out more: www.cavra.org.uk/

2019

South Worcester Lifesaving and Lifeguard Club Flood Rescue Unit

Recieved: 1 x 20k SAR Manikin plus 1 x 50Kg AWM manikin

SWLLC is a professional and successful voluntary organisation primarily based at Pershore leisure centre. This organisation is involved in all areas of lifesaving from teaching drowning prevention techniques to National Search and Rescue operations.

South Worcester Lifesaving and Lifeguard Club is a friendly and successful voluntary club based at Pershore Leisure Centre

Find out more: www.swlifeguards.co.uk/

2019

Merseyside Water Rescue

Recieved: £200 donation to pay for membership with SLS GB

Merseyside Water Rescue currently operates in and around Liverpool South Docks, providing Safety and Education for those near the water.

Visit on Facebook HERE

2019

Lancaster Area Search and Rescue

Recieved: Man Overboard Manikin

Lancaster Area Search & Rescue (LASAR) is a specialist SLSGB (Surf Lifesaving GB) affiliated flood rescue team based in Lancaster, Lancashire.

Visit on Facebook HERE

2018

Oxfordshire Lowland Search & rescue

Recieved: A Search and Rescue Manikin

Oxfordshire SAR members are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. OxSAR is a full member of Lowland Rescue and are directly called out by Thames Valley Police.

In addition to serving vulnerable missing people in Oxfordshire, OxSAR are frequently requested to assist other Lowland Rescue teams all over the country.

Find out more: www.oxsar.org.uk/

2018

Aberdyfi Search & Rescue

Recieved: £1,000 towards the cost of water rescue training courses

Aberdyfi Search & Rescue Team provide a Search and Rescue service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year in wild and remote locations throughout South Snowdonia and Mid Wales. Aberdyfi SaRT is made up of a dedicated team of volunteers and entirely funded by charitable donations.

Find out more: www.aberdyfi-sart.org.uk/

2018

Sussex Flood Rescue

Recieved: An Offshore Manikin

A team of 12 volunteers you are responsible for water rescue scenarios such as persons stuck in flood water, they also provide welfare and medical assistance to those trapped in their homes during flooding.

Find out more on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/sussexfloodrescue/

2018

South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade

Recieved: A Dog Manikin

From its historic Watch House headquarters on the South Pier of the Tyne Harbour, South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade provides a 24-hour coastal search and rescue back-up in conjunction with HM Coastguard.

South Shields VLB provide a shore based search and rescue service to HM Coastguard. They work along side the Auxillary Coastguard, RNLI , Search and Recue Helicopter and the other VLB units in Tynemouth and Sunderland.

They are also called on by HM Coastguard to carry out searches of the coast for missing people and for rope rescue.

Find out more: www.ssvlb.org.uk/

2018

London Search & Rescue

Recieved: £1,000 towards the cost of radio communications.

A team of more than 60, LONSAR is a charity that receives no government funding. Members make themselves available 24 hours a Day, 7 Days a Week and 365 Days a Year, with volunteer members spread throughout London and sometimes beyond.

They provide marshals for treks and cycling events (in particular British Heart Foundation events) and for community events in London in return for donations from the organisers.  The team aims to become fully operational on call with the Metropolitan Police in January 2019.

Find out more: www.londonsar.com/

2018

Serve On

Recieved: 40Kg Man Overboard Manikin

Serve On are a charitable organisation, with a group of 90 (and growing) volunteers who provide help to our local and international communities during times of crisis.

Volunteers include many ex-category one responders from the fire, police, ambulance service and RNLI, ex military personal, mechanics, IT specialists, outdoor specialists etc.

They focus on three main areas: International Disaster Response Team (IRT), Community Resilience Teams (CRT) and the dog rescue team.

FInd out more: www.serveon.org.uk

2018

Surf Lifesaving GB

Recieved: 2 x 40Kg Man Overboard Manikins and 1 X Surf Rescue Manikin.

Surf Life Saving GB is a charity of 7,000 volunteers helping to make our beaches safer and more enjoyable places for everyone. SLSGB volunteers have been providing beach lifeguard training and patrolling the coast for more than 55 years. SLSGB clubs are nationwide, training members aged from five years upwards in beach education, lifesaving, rescue and fitness skills, helping create fitter and safer communities by the sea.

SLSGB has a strategic partnership with the RNLI and SLSGB volunteers work closely with RNLI Beach Lifeguards providing a joint lifeguard service and beach patrol.

Find out more: www.slsgb.org.uk

2017

Central Beacons Mountain Rescue

Recieved: £5,000

The Team at Central Beacons is one of the busiest mountain rescue teams in the UK, responding to more than 140 calls in 2017. In November, they suffered a terrible fire at their base, which tore through the building destroying all of their rescue equipment and 2 of the 3 vehicles. The building was so badly damaged that when cleared, all that was left were the standing walls which need to be bleached with acid before re-building work can commence.

Currently the team is borrowing equipment from nearby teams, using their own cars and mobile phones for operations. For more serious incidents, other mountain rescue teams are having to travel to cover their area to help.

Whilst insurance will cover the re-development of the base, the two written-off vehicles (a Land Rover and the Iveco Control Truck) are both 14 years old so the insurance payment will be minimal and it will cost in excess of £120,000 to replace them.  In total, it has been estimated that the team need to raise in the region of  £250,000.

We hope our £5,000 donation goes some way to supporting the team to continue their vital work.

If you wish to support the team at Central Beacons Mountain Rescue, visit their just giving page www.justgiving.com/centralbeaconsmrt