Leading national builders’ merchant Jewson has donated £5,000 towards a new rescue lifeboat on
the Isle of Wight.
Jewson has partnered with the Freshwater Independent Lifeboat (FILB) Service to fund an Atlantic
85 lifeboat, which was revealed and officially named ‘The Jillian Scott’ at an event at the
organisation’s Freshwater Bay station on Saturday 6th July.
Additional donations towards the vessel have been made by other investors and sponsors. The
naming ceremony was performed by UK Special Forces Soldier Jason Fox, from TV series SAS: Who
Dares Wins. Attendees also had the chance to meet the FILB crew and enjoy live music and food
and drinks.
Founded by local members of the community in 1972, the Freshwater Lifeboat Station is on call to
the Coast Guard 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The FILB’s station covers an area up to 30 miles
offshore from Hurst Point to St Catherine’s point. The service is not part of the RNLI and doesn’t
receive funding from the RNLI or the government, meaning its operations are entirely funded by the
local community via a mix of donations, local business sponsorship – like that from Jewson – and
local community grants.
Paul Swain, General Manager for Jewson on the Isle of Wight, said: “Jewson works at the heart of
local communities, and with five branches on the island, we know how crucially important the
service provided by the Freshwater Independent Lifeboat station is. The new Atlantic 85 will act as
a vital facility for ensuring the safety of people at sea, and we’ll continue to support the FILB
moving forwards as they continue to deliver such essential services to those living on and visiting
this beautiful island.”
Barry Sales, Chairman of the FILB, said: “The contribution made by Jewson not only helps us
financially but also cements a new link between our organisation and the local branch of a
nationwide business, which gives us greater credibility in our operational goals.
“Although our role is very much about supporting our local community, this latest addition to our
lifeboat fleet also serves to support the high numbers of holiday makers that visit the island and
enjoy our coast. As such, Jewson’s support is gratefully received.”
Jewson plays a significant part of STARK UK, a portfolio of building merchant businesses, which are
part of STARK Group, Europe’s leading builders’ merchant and distribution platform. Earlier this
year, STARK Group celebrated its first 12 months of operating in the UK.
Jewson is proud to partner the trades, building on its 180+ years of industry experience, offering the
UK’s professional tradespeople the products and services they need to work smarter and grow
their business faster, powered by a robust sourcing network and distribution platform.
