A charity champion has helped to raise more than £100,000 for the RNLI after her son died in a tragic North Sea helicopter crash.
Audrey Wood lost her son, Stuart, in 2009 when the Super Puma helicopter he was travelling in ditched 11 nautical miles off Peterhead.
Stuart, 27, was one of 16 people who died in the incident on April 1.
Since their loss, Audrey and Kerry, Stuart’s elder sister, have thrown themselves into fundraising for the RNLI charity.
They have held football matches, ladies’ lunches and events days to raise funds for RNLI volunteers.
Their latest lunch at The Douglas Hotel last month raised £25,000 for the RNLI – attracting 250 glamorous women, RNLI members and several local companies to help the cause.
Mrs Wood said it was an excellent turnout and praised all the generous people who helped raise the cash in a tough economic climate.
In the last six years, the duo have raised an magnificent sum of £125,000 for the charity.
Mrs Wood added that they had been inspired by the efforts of the volunteers who searched for survivors following the fatal crash.
Fourteen passengers lost their lives and two crew died in the event.
An investigation into the tragedy revealed that a gearbox failure caused it to fall out of the sky.
Mrs Wood said: “I really wasn’t aware that the RNLI was all volunteers.
“I was really affected by the compassion and the sincerity when I spoke to the RNLI guys.”
Looking back to the incident, she said: “I know those men went out for two days searching and they were truly touched by it all.
“They went at the drop of the hat and, for that, we will honour them for the rest of our lives.”
As well as raising money, she is keen to raise awareness of the charity too and shows RNLI footage at events to highlight the bravery of the volunteers.
Money raised over the years has been given to local RNLI branches and funds from the lunch on March 19 will go to Peterhead, Buckie and Aberdeen RNLI stations.
Mrs Wood said: “They are made of something else, I am sure they are.”
