Intrepid RNLI crew from Black Isle set off for Monte Carlo in old banger
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A four-man team from RNLI Kessock set off early this morning from Inverness in an old banger bound for Monte Carlo.
Alan Mcdiarmid, Ross Sproule, Chris Howard and Graham Hastie are making the trip to the Mediterranean coast in a bid to raise £10,000 to improve the facilities of their lifeboat station where they are all volunteer tractor drivers.
Their vehicle for the challenge – which marks the 30th anniversary of the station – is a 21-year-old BMW estate decked out in the RNLI's signature orange and blue colour scheme.
Mr Hastie said: " I am looking forward to embarking on this epic trip with my fellow tractor drivers but I'm slightly nervous about spending so many days and nights cooped up with them in a rusty old BMW!"
It is not the first time the car has been used for a fundraising challenge for the RNLI.
In 2019, RNLI Ramsgate completed the Monte Carlo Rally then passed the car on to RNLI Tynemouth which had planned to do the same rally in 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic intervened.
However, a Tynemouth team did a shorter charity rally to Inverness last year before passing the car on to the Kessock lifeboat station for its Monte Carlo adventure.
Earlier this week, volunteers at RNLI Kessock hosted a gathering for corporate sponsors for the Monte Carlo challenge. It was attended by a team from the Black Isle Tractor Run which presented £12,121.85 it had raised for the station.
Go to www.justgiving.com/rnlikessocktomontecarlo to give donations.
