Torbay Lifeboat Station gave Blue Chip Vacations a warm welcome despite the wintry weather, when Alan Taylor, MD of the self-catering holiday home specialist, and Maggie Sycamore, its Accounts Administrator, came in to present a cheque for £250 to the RNLI.

The money had been raised over the Christmas period when a festive email was sent to its 600-plus self-catering owners instead of a Christmas card. All money saved was donated to the RNLI, and the initiative even resulted in a number of separate contributions from property owners.

Commenting on the donation, Alan Taylor, Managing Director for Blue Chip Vacations, said: "Throughout the year we have many thousands of visitors who come to stay in our properties across the South West. A large proportion of these holiday homes are set in coastal locations along the English Riviera and our guests often spend many happy hours on beaches or in the sea.

"However the sea can be a dangerous place and we understand just how important it is to support our local lifeboat service. Combined with the fact that a number of our staff know Torbay Lifeboat volunteers personally, we felt a donation to the RNLI would be an appropriate and positive thing to do. We hope that this contribution goes some way to assist the brave men and women of the RNLI who do so much to keep the coasts of the South West safe."

Dave Smithson, RNLI Treasurer for Brixham Lifeboat Guild, added: "We are fortunate here in Torbay to see, first hand, the number of times that the Lifeboats are called out, often in appalling conditions. It is with the support of local business such as Blue Chip Vacations that we can be sure that our Lifeboat crews are given the best equipment to carry out their tasks as safely as possible."