Help Sussex Search & Rescue raise £20k in their 20th year.

The Sussex Search & Rescue (SusSAR) team was formed in 2002 as a result of the extensive Police search for Sarah Payne, who went missing in 2000. The team, which is entirely made up of volunteers who have been professionally trained, are called on by Sussex Police and search teams in neighbouring counties to search for vulnerable missing people. Most of our callouts are to search for the elderly, people living with dementia, despondents, children, and anyone else deemed to be a high risk. The team is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

To keep the team operational we are dependent on the goodwill and generosity of the general public who donate to us and by applying for granted funds. As a registered charity we are not paid for by Government, the police or local councils. Our team members give their time for free and pay for their own fuel to attend callouts and training and for their personal equipment.

As part of marking our 20th year in 2022 were aiming to raise £20k. This will go towards:

keeping the team operational. Our ongoing costs include maintaining the teams specially equipped vehicles, specialist equipment and training.

Ongoing projects to enhance our search capabilities, such as that in and around water by purchasing sonar equipment and providing specialist training and equipment for some members of the team to search the banks of rivers and other bodies of water.

Any donation towards our fundraising target is greatly appreciated and if you would like to join in with marking our 20th anniversary why not make it an amount with a 20 in it. £2.20, £20, £200 or even 20p!! As somebody once said Every little helps.

To give an idea of what your donation could do:

£200 could go towards the purchase of kit required for one bank searcher, throwline, helmet, headtorch, search pole, auto inflate life jacket etc.

£20 could buy 4 pairs of safety glasses required as PPE for team members.

£2.20 could purchase batteries needed for torches.