RNLI fund-raisers are making music to buy a new boat

Ann and Kris Cantle, Andrew's mam and brother, are presented with a copy of the CD by George Shovlin and George Lamb alongside Sunderland RNLI volunteer Andy McGill.

Musicians from Sunderland’s Speakeasy scene have launched a CD to raise money for a memorial fund set up in memory of former Sunderland RNLI volunteer, Andrew Cantle.

The CD has 11 tracks, performed by local musicians, and the idea came about from Leslie Dodd, of the Happy Cats.

As well as raising funds the idea of the CD is to promote the live music scene in the city.

Donations were made by Rough Diamond Entertainment, Martino’s Restaurant Group and Illusions to cover the cost of making the CDs.

The disc features a track by Andrew McGill, a volunteer himself with Sunderland RNLI. Andrew, a funeral director from Fulwell has been a volunteer crewman with the RNLI for the last three years.

The target of the memorial fund is to raise enough money to fund the next D Class inshore lifeboat to be stationed at Sunderland which will be named after Andy. The funds current total stands at £25,000 and aims to raise £40,000 in the next four years.

Andrew, who lived in York with partner, Beth Webster, was just 27-years-old when he was killed in February 2011 when the commuter plane he was co-piloting crashed at Cork Airport in thick fog.

He became involved with Sunderland RNLI Lifeboat station in 2000 as part of his Duke of Edinburgh Award and continued working with the charity, saving lives.

Ann Cantle, Andrew’s mum, said: “We are extremely grateful to the musicians for choosing the RNLI, and Andrew’s memorial fund in particular, as the charity to benefit from the sale of the CD.

“Another key thank you must go to the sponsors who have ensured every penny raised from the sale of the CD will go directly towards paying for the next D Class inshore lifeboat in Andrews name.”