Generous passengers on board Steam Packet Company vessels during the TT festival have raised a record ?16,212 for the Rob Vine Fund.

The fantastic sum is the most collected during a race fortnight since the first annual Steam Packet Company collection for the Rob Vine Fund was held in the mid-1990s.

The Fund was established in memory of Rob Vine, a competitor who died after a crash at the Black Dub during the 1985 Senior TT. This year’s cheque was presented to Dr David Stevens MBE, Secretary and Director of the Rob Vine Fund, Registered Charity No 954 (Isle of Man).

Dr Stevens said: ‘The generosity of the TT fans continues to amaze us. Last year’s collection sent the total through the ?200,000 barrier since the collections began, and this year we now have a record total. Our sincere thanks to all those fans who gave so generously, and to the Steam Packet Company crew who helped coordinate the collection on our behalf. A truly amazing effort by all concerned.’

The running total collected over the years now stands at ?220,000, with this year’s sum beating the previous record of ?15,000, collected in 2004 and again during the centenary TT of 2007.

Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Chief Executive Mark Woodward said: ‘It’s a fantastic achievement to break the record and it comes at a time when the TT continues to grow in popularity, with the number of motorcycles we carried this year being the highest ever, outside the 2007 centenary celebrations. I’d like to thank our staff who assisted with the collection, and a special thank you to Linda Keen and the team at the Manx Legion for their assistance in helping count all the monies collected.’

To find out more about the charity, visit http://www.mms.org.im/robvinefund/. 

Photo - This year’s TT fortnight saw a record collection on board Steam Packet Company vessels for the Rob Vine Fund, which provides medical and rescue equipment and training for all doctors and paramedics involved in motorsports in the Isle of Man. One of the services it provides is the Island’s three Hogg Rescue Ambulances, and their 21 unpaid volunteer crew members, some of whom are pictured here; left to right – Stuart Greaves, Cathie McGurgan, Alan Greaves and David B Stevens MBE, who were presented with a cheque for more than ?16,000 by Steam Packet Company crew members Neil Hutchinson, Sandra Fitzgerald, Chris Kelly and Paul Turton.