THE SEVERN Area Rescue Association (SARA) has received a £500 donation, part of which was on behalf of a Forest Sea Cadet.

The charitable trust of the Royal Society of St George’s Gloucestershire branch donated £300 with the rest coming on behalf of Tyler Carpenter was a winner of the group’s Nairac Award.

The Royal Society of St George (RSSG) is described as a group for people of all nationalities and faiths who love England and its traditions..

Each year the Gloucestershire branch awards two young people its Nairac Awards which are named after Captain Robert Nairac, a soldier who was kidnapped and murdered by the IRA.

Tyler cares for his parents, who are in poor health, while holding down a full-time job and continuing his community.

The 21-year-old’s proud parents say he always aims to be kind, caring and helpful.

Tyler, who has been a member of Lydney-based Forest Sea Cadets since the age of nine, joined Gloucestershire branch RSSG secretary Margaret Fuller at SARA’s Beachley headquarters to present the cheque.

Two trustees from the RSSG charitable trust were at St Barnabas Church in Gloucester when Tyler was presented with his award on St George’s Day in April by the Lord-Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, Mr. Edward Gillespie.

They were so impressed by Tyler’s personal achievements and hard work on behalf of SARA – which include being a member of the lifeboat crew and teaching water safety to young people – that they encouraged Gloucestershire branch to apply for a grant to bolster the award donation.

Tyler was born without cheek muscles, leading to four years of speech therapy.

He also has learning process delay but has never let these issues hold him back.

He took marine engineering courses held at the Weymouth Sea Cadet unit, passing basic, intermediate and advanced levels within six months, earning Forest Sea Cadets the highest marine engineering award – The Vernon Award – and he now teaches at the group which meets in Naas Lane.

At the age of 17, he applied to become a lifeboat crew member with SARA at Beachley. He was told that while he was the youngest to be interviewed, he was also the most qualified due to his Sea Cadet achievements.

He became the youngest crew member at the time.

After a local young man tragically lost his life, Tyler asked SARA if he could teach water safety in local schools.

At his own cost he has given many talks, done leaflet drops and visited over 60 schools, Beavers and Cubs units and home educated groups to prevent further loss of young life. He enjoys fundraising with SARA and being part of an important team.

SARA was formed in 1973 and now has six stations at Beachley, Sharpness, Tewkesbury and Upton in Gloucestershire, Newport in South Wales and Wyre Forest in Worcestershire.

Some 250 volunteers give their time freely to conduct search and rescue operations on both land and water.