The recent missing person search along the River Backwater has served to highlight the importance of voluntary search and rescue units and the key role they play in assisting the emergency services during operations of this kind.
Run on a voluntary basis, these units receive little or no statutory funding, relying almost exclusively on fundraising events, donations from the public and the money members spend from their own coffers to remain operational.
Like so many other voluntary organisations they have been hit hard by the Covid pandemic, with the cancellation of fundraising events meaning a key source of their income has dried up. As a result they are left with no option but to dig into their often meagre reserves and when they run dry members cover the costs of remaining operations from their own pockets.
While the majority of festive events fell foul of the Covid pandemic, an intrepid quartet of divers from the Blackwater Sub Aqua Club (SAC) still took the plunge for their annual St Stephen s Day Fin Swim.
Normally one of the club s most important annual fundraisers, the event would ordinarily attract a large number of spectators to watch club members brave the frigid waters of the River Blackwater.
However, this year just four divers took part in the event, with club spokesperson Timmy Carey saying strict social distancing measures were in place throughout. This year has been difficult for the club in terms of fundraising with members having to self-fund our activities, which has put a strain on our finances so the initial decision to cancel the Fin Swim came as a bit blow, said Timmy.