Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Lifeguards’ funding bid after busiest summer
THE lifeguards in the South West have had one of the busiest summers ever, with huge visitor numbers descending on the region, the RNLI said yesterday as it scaled back life-saving services at 25 beaches as the summer holiday draws to a close.
Hundreds of thousands of visitors who would potentially have travelled abroad this summer instead descended on the South West due to the coronavirus pandemic.
And the charity that has helped keep them safe at the beach has now launched a new fund raising appeal with the aim of collecting cash to train more lifeguards to carry out their lifesaving work.
Dave Nicoll, fundraising and partnership lead in the South West said: “RNLI lifeguards have been working extremely hard throughout spring and summer to deliver a world-class lifeguard service across our region’s coast, allowing thousands of people to enjoy their time at the beach with friends and family.
“We are now looking to those people to help us rasie the money needed to train our lifeguards in casualty care and lifesaving techniques. So if you were helped by one of our lifeguards this summer, or if you simply want to make a kind donation, please visit our JustGiving page.”
You can make a donation to the RNLI’s South West Lifeguard Appeal, please visit: https://www.justgiving. com/campaign/SW-LifeguardAppeal-2021
Despite many beaches across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset seeing lifeguarding drawing to a close after the weekend, the RNLI says the majority of beaches in the region will continue to operate a daily service between 10am-6pm.
The beaches where lifeguard services end this weekend are Devon: Sandy Bay Dawlish Warren, Teignmouth North, Teignmouth South, Hope Cove, Blackpool Sands, Slapton Sands (Monument) , Bigbury on Sea In Cornwall the Northcott, Crackington Haven, Lusty Glaze, South Fistral, Perranuthnoe, Marazion, Carbis Bay, Porthkidney, Porthleven, Gunwalloe, Polurrian Cove, Freathy’ Tregantle (weekend only lifeguard service) In Somerset at Burnham-on-Sea and Berrow and in Dorset at Greenhill and Lyme Regis (Cobb).
If you ever see anyone in trouble in the water, alert the lifeguards or call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.
To find your nearest lifeguarded beach visit: https://rnli.org/find-mynearest/lifeguarded-beaches