Friends and colleagues might have noticed a cheeky Facebook post we put out recently, sharing a little info about our plan to help a local cause with its charity fundraising?
Well, the big news is, we’ve only gone and done it! Byron is pleased to share that Static Trader is now sponsoring the charity merchandise for Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat. This local charity is not only close to Static Trader’s coastal location, it’s also close to the company’s heart as two members of staff volunteer at the charity.
Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat & Static Trader
Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat (PLIRB) is a self-funded rescue charity, located just along the coast from Rye, at Pett Level. The charity is run solely by volunteers and, although the service often works alongside HM Coastguards, Sussex Police and the RNLI, they receive no government or central funding.
2020 has seen the charity’s running costs rocket to over £10,000 a year and their income through all sources, including charity fundraising, drop by a massive 95% due to the pandemic. When chatting about this with his colleagues who volunteer for the charity, Byron realised that Static Trader could be in a position to help.
“Giving my time is something I would have preferred to do, and something I’d love to do with Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat - I recognise how valuable their work is through my colleagues who volunteer there. But although I can’t give my time in the same way they do, what I can do is give a donation and a helping hand to the charity.”
Static Trader sponsorship
Because Byron recognises that costs, whether you’re part of a business or part of a charity, have a major impact on what you are able to achieve. With this in mind, he offered to help out with a sponsorship donation. This donation will help the charity to meet the costs of printing and producing their promotional merchandise and informational materials. It will also help the charity’s admin team with costs of day-to-day printing.
Although the donation couldn’t be made as part of a formal presentation just yet, Byron hopes to be able to visit the charity’s Pett Level boathouse soon. In the meantime, the funds have been passed to the charity via online donation, celebrated with a bit of elbow-bumping with Static Trader’s Transport Manager (and PLIRB volunteer) John.
Already the donation’s been put to good use, towards printing of the rescue boat’s latest greetings cards and calendars. The volunteers have maintained a ‘rescue ready’ 24/7 call out service throughout lockdown, and it’s hoped they’ll soon be able to resume charity fundraising by selling their merchandise at local events, as restrictions gradually lift at last.
"The sponsorship idea is all about helping the rescue boat charity get its messages out there. In business, it’s important to be visible and, in the same way, the printed products help the charity to be visible and raise awareness about the dangers of the coastline. It’s also a way for the charity to raise even more funds, through the products themselves.”
The extra mile ...
This is something that really makes Byron’s PLIRB volunteer / work colleagues smile, as John shares:
“What’s great is that because these items can now be made with no direct cost to the charity, 100% of the sale price of every card or calendar sold is generating income for the boat at a time when it’s desperately needed. When we’re at work, Byron’s mantra is that the Static Trader team should always “go the extra mile”. Now his donation has the potential to do just that for us when we’re fundraising for the PLIRB too.”
His boat colleague and Treasurer of the PLIRB, Stella Dunn, also spoke of the charity’s gratitude:
"As a self-funded, independent rescue charity we need to raise funds continually and promote our services but often the cost is prohibitive. The sponsorship of our promotional fundraising goods by Static Trader is most welcome and generous, especially in this most challenging year when other avenues and opportunities have been so limited.”
More info and photos to come on this soon … especially once Byron and family get the chance to visit the boathouse and speak to the volunteers about the work they do. In the meantime, please look out for the PLIRB greetings cards in Static Trader’s sales packs and on sale at local events!
