AN energy company has been thanked for keeping lifeboat crews trained.

A £300,000 grant from Scottish and Southern Energy funded the training of crews at four RNLI stations, including Harwich.

The cash meant the station could pay for vital training, costing more than £1,500 a year for each crew member.

Dan Sime, a volunteer at Harwich, 27, said: “I visited the RNLI’s Lifeboat College in Poole, Dorset and took part in two intensive courses, which covered an introduction to inshore lifeboats, sea survival, fire-fighting and first aid.

“Taking part in the sea survival course boosted my confidence and in particular enhanced my knowledge of the crew kit, as you get to see how it behaves in various circumstances.

“It sounds like a small thing, but it’s very important to know how a lifejacket performs.

“The intensity of the courses has really benefited me. I’ve come out of them with a good range of knowledge and skills, so I feel ready to go to sea and save lives.

“You also learn so much from it because it’s so different to what you normally do every day. It’s great being part of the crew, because you’re all there together for the same reason.

“When I go on RNLI training courses, the people are there because they want to be there. It makes a huge difference.”

The RNLI relies on donations to help meet the cost of regular crew training.

Scottish and Southern Energy made the donation as part of its work on the world’s biggest offshore wind farm, at Greater Gabbard, in the North Sea.