This evening a small number of team members met with Mr John Sunter of Worsley to receive donations to the memory of his son Tom, tragically killed in a kayaking accident late last year in the Dumfries and Galloway region of Scotland.

Tom, a former pupil of Bolton School had just taken up a teaching post at Cockermouth School in Cumbria when he had his tragic accident, and pupils at Cockermouth School raised a huge sum of money to the memory of Tom Sunter.
Other donations were made by family and friends, as a result of which his father tonight handed over donations in the total sum of £2,105.00.

Separate to this very large and kind sum, and previously recorded on our website have been donations from Strathclyde University Canoe Club for £250.00 and Bolton School for £155.00.

Lisa Fair (Fundraising Officer), Tony McNally (Chairman), John Sunter, Garry Rhodes (Team Leader), Geoff Seddon (Deputy TL) accept the cheque in memory of Tom Sunter.

The combined total of £2,510.00 is being gift aided where possible which will result in a greater amount, all of which will be used to purchase a shelter tent suitable for use as a mess, rest and briefing facility when the team is engaged on searches, larger incidents or all day Standby Rescue Covers.

The team is now investigating robust, easy-to-erect shelters, and when purchased this important addition to the team’s equipment will be dedicated to the memory of Tom Sunter. The whole team expresses its condolences to the parents and brother of Tom, and to the rest of his family, friends, associates, work colleagues and school pupils, and we hope that the purchase of this shelter will be a fitting and long lasting memorial to Tom.