What a pleasure it was to welcome Stephen to our meeting this month.
We enjoyed a truly interesting and informative illustrated talk, learning all about the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI), a volunteer organisation who work with Search & Rescue services and HM Coastguard to keep our coastal waters safe.
Set up in 1994 to restore a visual watch along UK shores after the closure of some Coastguard stations, the NCI is a 100% volunteer-run organisation whose first priority is the preservation and protection of life.
We were informed about the types of duties that a watchkeeper will undertake, the types of emergencies that occur and how you can train and become a watchkeeper. We watched a short video that put all of this into perspective and drove home the message of how dangerous the sea can be, how quickly things can change and how amazing the rescue teams are, be they the NCI, HMCG or the RNLI etc.
The NCI appears to be a forgotten hero, without whom many lives would be lost every year.
A donation is always welcome to maintain and improve their essential services and support equipment.