WOKING-based Surrey Search and Rescue has been given £1,000 from the housebuilder Persimmon Homes to help with its running costs.

The service is made up of volunteers who help the emergency services find people who have gone missing. It receives no formal funding and relies on grants, donations and fundraising to keep going.

Surrey Search and Rescue (SAR), which is based in Maybury, began operating in 2010 and its volunteers have attended more than 700 incidents across the county.

Elizabeth Drapper, a spokeswoman for Surrey SAR, said: “Our usual fundraising activity has been hit by the pandemic, so we are struggling to meet our costs.

“In addition to our usual expenses, such as medical supplies and transport, we are looking to acquire specialist PPE equipment so we can continue to work whenever needed.”

The group contacted Persimmon Homes Thames Valley, which then donated £1,000 as part of its Community Champions scheme.

Rachel Faulkner, the Persimmon Homes sales director, said: “Surrey Search and Rescue does a wonderful job in supporting the work of emergency services when people go missing.

“We appreciate how difficult it is when they urgently need new equipment, yet the restrictions created by the pandemic affect their ability to raise funds in the usual way.

“That’s why we selected the group for support under our Community Champions programme.”