Seaside pub helps charity save North East whales and seals

Landlords at a Northumberland seaside pub are to donate 5p from the sale of every pint of its house beer to help save dolphins, whales and seals in  the North Sea.

The Bamburgh Castle Inn at Seahouses, has made British Divers Marine Life Rescue its charity of the year and will raise money for vital equipment including a marine mammal medic kit, dolphin stretcher, and seal kennel and bag.

“The view of the Farne Islands is one of the Bamburgh Castle Inn’s biggest attractions for visitors and locals alike, which makes us feel a certain sense of responsibility towards the islands and their wildlife,” said the seaside pub’s general manager Peter O Brien. “By supporting the work of BDMLR this year, we’re putting something back.”

“The Farnes are home to the biggest population of grey seals in the UK and the islands attract thousands of divers and sightseers every year, and we also benefit from these visitors.

“In the storms before Christmas, dozens of grey seal pups were washed up on the beaches near to us, which really brought home to us how important BDMLR’s work is.”

As the Inn’s charity of the year for 2014, BDMLR will receive 5p from every pint sold of its house ale – which appropriately enough for its location is Hadrian Border Brewery’s 4% ABV amber-coloured bitter Farne Island – and will also benefit from a series of fundraising events organised by the pub throughout the year.

“We’re delighted the Bamburgh Castle Inn has chosen us as its charity of the year,” Richard Ilderton, BDMLR’s area coordinator for the North East, said.

“The money will help us to buy a marine mammal medic kit of essential supplies that our volunteers use to help stranded animals.

“And anyone who becomes interested in our work through the Bamburgh Castle Inn’s campaign can also train to become one of our volunteers on the Northumberland coast, by taking our Marine Mammal Medic Course. You don’t have to be a diver to become one of our volunteers.”

BDMLR is a voluntary network of marine mammal medics which relies entirely on donations to run the service.

Teams operating in England, Scotland and Wales respond to call outs from the public, police, coastguard and animal welfare groups, and also train emergency services staff to deal with marine mammals in distress.

Volunteers – including Seahouses’ Lyndsey Morris and Andrew Smith, who arranged the pub’s sponsorship of the charity along with fundraiser Corinne Gordon – are on call 24 hours a day, every day.