CalMac crews donate £1000 to support Oban lifeboat

CalMac crews from MV Isle of Mull and MV Clansman have donated money gifted to them for outstanding service, to help support the work of the local RNLI. 

Crew members on both vessels were each given a voucher by the company to recognise their exceptional response during a recent rescue operation in Soud of Mull. They were nominated for the payment by colleagues through the quarterly staff recognition scheme. 

In light of the close relationship they have with the RNLI, the crews decided to pool them together, convert them to cash and make a £1000 donation to help with the upkeep of the town's lifeboat. 

'We work very closely with our colleagues in the RNLI. As a regular service operating in these waters we are often called upon to assist other seafarers in distress, so we are all too aware of the hard work that they put in volunteering to keep people safe,' said Master of the MV Isle of Mull, Craig Mullarkey. 

'All the crew from both vessels were in full agreement the money would be better spent helping to support the valuable work they do.' 

Over the past year CalMac has assisted other vessels and supported the coastguard in 13 emergencies.

Oban Lifeboat Station all-weather Trent class lifeboat - Mora Edith MacDonald - is capable of 25 knots and has a range of 250 nautical miles. It is one of the busiest RNLI stations in the country answering 54 emergency call outs last year. 

Picture shows: Captain Craig Mullarkey welcomes RNLI staff Tom Kennedy (mechanic), Ally Cerexhe (coxswain), Leonie Mead (crew) and chairman, Mike Robertson (Chairman) aboard the MV Isle of Mull

'As one of the busiest all weather lifeboats in Scotland, Oban Lifeboat relies heavily upon the support of members of the public and organisations such as CalMac who provide not only financial support but also allow many members of staff to leave work when the call for assistance comes in. We would especially like to thank the crew of the MV Isle of Mull and MV Clansman for making this outstanding contribution to help us continue our essential lifesaving work,' Iain Fulton, Deputy Launch Authority, Oban Lifeboat. 

Oban is one of the west coast ferry and harbour operator's busiest ports. Last year they completed more than 10,000 sailings to eight destinations in the Inner and Outer Hebrides.

CalMac's Director of Service Delivery, David Gibson added:

'We felt that crews performed beyond their normal very high standards, demonstrating many of our company values and we wanted to express our thanks to them. It is a mark of the high regard they have for colleagues in the RNLI that they have then chosen to pool this money and pass it on to help others.

'We train rigorously for rescue call outs and the professionalism and selflessness of our crews again shone through.'