Great North Run pair set to go the extra mile to support South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade

Jade Sutherland and Christina Walker, who will be wearing distinctive vests sporting the Brigade crest, will represent SSVLB while running the 13.1 mile half marathon and both plan to continue past the finish line to call in at Brigade’s Watch House on the South Pier.

Jade is one of the latest recruits training to join the operational Search and Rescue team, and South Shields Harriers member Christina chose to support the Brigade, which has been saving lives since 1866.

The Watch House is taking part in the 2022 Heritage pens Days programme and is open to visitors over the Great North Run weekend, where there will be a special welcome for Jade and Christina after they finish the run.

Tom Fennelly, Honorary Secretary of South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade, said:” We are extremely grateful to Jade and Christina for choosing the Brigade as the beneficiary of their Great North Run sponsorship.

"We will be cheering them all the way from Newcastle to the finish and we look forward to seeing them at the Watch House.

”The work of the Brigade continued throughout the pandemic, often operating and training in very testing conditions.

All normal fundraising activities were severely curtailed and we are very grateful that our two runners are tackling the Great North Run challenge to raise funds for us.”

The Volunteer Life Brigade has been providing a coastal search and rescue service along South Tyneside’s cliffs, beaches and riverside for over 156 years.

On average, the Brigade is called out about 120 times a year.

So far in 2022, the Brigade has responded to 74 emergency call outs, including several fatalities.

The motto of the South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade is ‘Always Ready’ and the Brigade maintains an operational team on 24-hour standby to respond to any emergency with all its members unpaid volunteers.

Anyone wishing to support Jade and Christina in their fundraising efforts can do so via the Brigade’s JustGiving Page: justgiving.com/southshieldsvolunteerlifebrigadeuk