A LIFEBOAT group which is among the first to help in Gwent river emergencies is encouraging people to wear something orange this Februrary.

The Severn Area Rescue Association is spearheading the Go Orange campaign, encouraging people to wear something orange on Feburary 26 and pay £1 to them to do so - and the Argus is backing them.

It is hoping to raise £20,000 for a new lifeboat, while also boosting the profile of it and other independent lifeboat crews.

More than 100 lifeboat units around Britain, who work outside of the RNLI, respond to emergencies in the same way as their bigger cousin.

But unlike the RNLI smaller crews do not have a large head office working on their behalf.

SARA, based at several locations along the Severn Estuary including Beachley, is one of those organisations.

Elspeth Hardie of SARA said while many people are aware of the RNLI, who she said do an amazing job, the charity has very few inshore lifeboat crews.

“If anybody got into difficulty in the Rivers Severn, Usk, the Wye and the surrounding land, the people that would be called out would be SARA,” she said.

In the last year SARA has been called out more than 70 times, with cases including missing children, stranded fishermen and people who have had accidents nearby or in the river.

It is also hoping to raise £20,000 to replace SARA 3, one of its inshore lifeboats - and will also be embarking on the 24-hour Three Peaks Challenge next September to work towards the goal.

SARA is also hoping for groups and firms to organise fundraisers to help raise cash.

If you think you can help out, email Elspeth Hardie on e.hardie@sara-rescue.co.uk