Southport MP Damien Moore Praises the Southport Lifeboat and “Make a Change for Ben” Campaigns

On Monday 24th January, Damien Moore MP raised the work of both campaigns in Parliament during a debate on strengthening safety measures around large bodies of water such as seas and lakes. This is a matter Mr. Moore cares deeply about, with Southport’s tides often rapidly and violently shifting, and too many lives being needlessly lost as a result.

The measures called for in the debate include a large expansion in the number of throwline stations surrounding bodies of water, something Mr. Moore voiced his support for, after the tragic death of Mark Allen in a needless and preventable accident in 2018.

With the support of Mr. Moore throughout his time as an MP, the independent Southport Offshore Rescue Trust officially opened its new £1.4 million station following 20 years of fundraising and planning, and three and a half years of construction. Its completion ensures that Southport’s residents and visitors are now even safer in and on the sea, thanks to the work of the Trust’s volunteers.

The Trust, which is independent from the RNLI, was founded by Kath Wilson in 1987 after her son lost his life on the Southport coast whilst fishing. Southport Lifeboat is crewed entirely by volunteers, who have helped facilitate the safe return of over 5,000 individuals since it was founded.

The “Make a Change for Ben” campaign, which was recently re-named “Make a Change for Botanic”, was created by Southport resident David Rawsthorne following the death of his close friend Ben Smith-Crallan. 

Ben tragically fell into the lake at the Botanic Gardens, in Churchtown, and contracted an infection from its stagnant and contaminated waters. Sadly, he later passed away as a result of this terrible incident.

The campaign set up in his memory has now raised tens of thousands of pounds for improvement works for the Gardens. These include an aeration fountain at the end of the lake to ensure the water is oxygenised.

Mr. Moore is committed towards working with the local community to ensure that further safety measures are implemented, and that the quality of water in the Botanic gardens is improved, to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again.

Damien Moore MP said:

“I spoke in Parliament to give my sincere thanks to both Kath Wilson and David Rawsthorne for all the work they have done for our great town.

“Both have fundraised for projects that will help protect those who live in, and visit, Southport. These community campaigns deserve all the praise we can offer, and it is great to see Southport Lifeboat officially open its new station, which I look forward to visiting soon.

“We need to make large bodies of water, such as Southport’s seas and lakes, as safe as possible. Around the country, far too many lives are lost that could otherwise be saved through measures as simple as increasing the availability of throwlines near bodies of water, and so I was proud to speak in support during this debate.

“In my speech, I called on the Government to do all it can to support such water safety measures. It is senseless that in a modern and leading 21st century country such as the United Kingdom, these are not already widely available, and I will continue to push for any efforts that can be made to protect my constituents’ lives when around open water.”