national coastwatch highlights of 2025
VOLUNTEERING WITH NCI IS ALL IN THE FAMILY FOR THREE BROTHERS
Volunteering with National Coastwatch (NCI) is often compared with being part of a family. For three of our watchkeepers, it’s exactly that!
Brothers Frank, Bernie and Gary are all volunteers, with a shared, lifelong love of the sea. Frank volunteers at NCI Brancaster while Gary and Bernie are stationed at NCI Canvey Island and NCI Swanage respectively.
All three served with the Royal Navy and joined NCI as soon as they retired. Their connection with the sea and wanting to give back to their communities runs in the family explained Frank.
“For us the sea is in our blood. Our late father was a highly decorated bomb disposal officer with the Royal Navy and he instilled in us a strong sense of duty and a desire to help look after our communities,” he said.
Frank discovered NCI when he visited a cafe in Hunstanton, Norfolk and saw an advert for volunteer watchkeepers at nearby NCI Brancaster.
“It really grabbed my attention, especially as I’d sailed a lot and been a submariner with the Royal Navy. I joined up and qualified as a watchkeeper in August 2023 and of course told my brothers all about it. That was just the start of a new family tradition,” he added.
Youngest brother Gary was next to follow. After a career in the Royal Navy, he joined the Metropolitan Police, rising to Inspector. When he retired, he joined his nearest station at NCI Canvey Island in 2024 and is an accredited watchkeeper.
As soon as he moved from Devon to Dorset with his wife, Bernie followed suit and joined the crew at NCI Swanage, qualifying as a watchkeeper in August 2025.
“For all of us, the great thing is that we’re able to continue our love of the sea by doing something really valuable and incredibly rewarding with a great mix of talented people. We all share a wonderful feeling of pride that we’re able to continue to help others and we’re hoping the younger members of our family will continue our tradition,” said Gary.
If you’re interested in learning new skills, meeting new people and helping to keep people safe along the coast, take a look at our volunteering page for more information. You don’t need to have any maritime experience as full training is provided and you can learn at your own pace.
Watchkeeper to be Olivia at NCI Whitstable is going for gold!
As part of her volunteering element of the Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) challenging and prestigious Gold Award, she’s been developing her skills under the watchful eyes of one of NCI Whitstable’s watchkeepers, Deborah. Deborah has now completed the final report for the Award in which she confirmed that Olivia passed with flying colours.
Since October of last year, 17-year-old Olivia has been training and developing her maritime safety knowledge including how to ‘spot, plot and report’ potential incidents, learning about weather and tides and how to use the high-powered optics and systems.
It’s a course she’d like to continue once she is eligible to formally join and train to be a qualified watchkeeper, she said:
“In the past year, I have been given many learning opportunities. I am grateful for the time given by my mentor Deborah, working with me on a regular basis. I have also been given opportunities to engage with the fundraising events which I've enjoyed. I am studying towards the subject of Marine Biology and appreciate the techniques I learn with NCI training and the connections with the sea and our 'eyes along the coast' ethos. I’d like to continue volunteering with NCI in the future,” she said.
Watchkeeper Deborah added:
“It’s been a pleasure to welcome Olivia and we’ve had a carefully planned programme of exercises to help her build skills and reap the rewards of volunteering with us.
“People of all ages and all walks of life volunteer with us and it’s fantastic to be able to help bring on the next generation. Olivia has really made a big impression with our crew and now we’re planning for next year as Olivia plans to remain with us as a cadet and start training for her watchkeeper assessment. We could not be more pleased.”
Special checks and permissions have been put in place by Olivia’s school, guardian and the station management to ensure she is always on watch with at least one approved watchkeeper.
Awards for lifesaving work at NCI Worms Head
Accolades and awards for two of our highly trained volunteer watchkeepers for their lifesaving work.
Jane and Mark, two watchkeepers from NCI Worms Head, have been congratulated by HM Coastguard for their role in helping to save two lives this year. And they have each been awarded a National Coastwatch (NCI) Certificate of Merit, our highest award at a ceremony this week.
A citation from the Senior Watch Officer at HM Coastguard’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) at Milford Haven read:
"We believe the prompt actions and ongoing support taken by your watchkeepers over concerns for two persons cut off by the incoming tide at the Worms Head Causeway Gower Peninsula probably contributed to saving their lives.
“The casualties were in a perilous situation with one of them being swept off the rocks into the sea. Please pass on our thanks to the team on duty for a job well done."
Jane and Mark were on duty on the afternoon of 11 June 2025 when they spotted two people on the causeway rocks. Both were quickly surrounded by the tide and in serious danger.
The watchkeepers immediately contacted the Coastguard MRCC at Milford Haven.
Burry Port and Horton lifeboats, a Coastguard rescue helicopter from St Athan and the Rhossili Coastguard Rescue Team, were sent by the team at Milford Haven. By the time the lifeboats arrived, one person had been swept off the rocks and another was chest-deep in water. Due to the dangerous conditions the lifeboats were unable to get in close to the casualties but one crew member entered the water and reached the person being swept out to sea.
The casualties were extracted to safety by the helicopter.
HM Coastguard added: "Throughout this period the NCI team of Jane and Mark provided updates to the search and rescue services as and when requested."
Jane and Mark received their Certificates of Merit at the NCI Worms Head Annual General Meeting. The certificates were presented by Phil Styles (NCI Chief Operations Officer) and Piet Biesheuvel (Sector Manager, S & W Wales).
Royal Visit for two National Coastwatch Stations in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire volunteers are celebrating their charity’s ‘first’ on a double day of visits by Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal to National Coastwatch stations at Cleethorpes and Mablethorpe on Thursday 23 October.
Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal is Royal Patron of the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI), a charity run entirely by volunteers and there is an ongoing programme of Royal visits. It is the first time that visits have taken place at two stations on the same day.
There are 61 stations along the coastline of England and Wales, from where the charity’s 2,800 volunteers keep a daily visual and radio watch of the coast, looking out for anyone in potential danger. They report any coastal safety-related incidents to HM Coastguard so that expert help can be sent, including the Coastguard Rescue Teams and helicopters, the RNLI, independent lifeboats and all emergency services.
NCI Cleethorpes is NCI’s newest station and like Mablethorpe, it looks directly over the expansive Lincolnshire Coast which has a high tidal range and popular beaches. It opened this summer, part funded by a generous donation from the Stelios Foundation and already has 45 volunteers. It is currently in a temporary location until funds and permissions for a permanent station can be secured.
NCI Mablethorpe opened in 2009 on the North Beach and will move to a permanent, two storey purpose-built facility in 2026. In addition to Cleethorpes, NCI operates two other East Coast stations at Skegness and Chapel Point and along the Norfolk Coast as well as stations further north at Filey and Hornsea.
The Princess Royal was received at both stations by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Lincolnshire, Mr Toby Dennis. He presented NCI Chair, Stephen Hand who introduced Station Managers, Rob Druce at NCI Cleethorpes and Paul Panter at Mablethorpe.
Her Royal Highness visited the watch room at both stations for a briefing about the watchkeepers’ work. After visiting the stations, The Princess Royal attended receptions at the Cleethorpes Golf Club and the Bacchus Hotel at Sutton on Sea.
At the receptions, Her Royal Highness met NCI volunteers including highly trained watchkeepers plus individuals from partner organisations including HM Coastguard, RNLI and Lincolnshire Police as well as members representing the local community.
Also present were NCI Trustees, Ian Whalley MBE and Linda Lawrence, local supporters and North East Lincolnshire District Council and East Lindsey District Council.
The Princess Royal unveiled plaques to mark her visit to the stations and presented long service awards to:
10 years: Jerzy Kwinta, Richard Wilson (NCI Mablethorpe)
5 years: Peter Smith, Colin Wingfield, Richard Hickling
At each reception, Stephen Hand, NCI Chair, formally welcomed Her Royal Highness to NCI Cleethorpes and NCI Mablethorpe and thanked her for her visit.
“Your Royal Highness, as NCI Chair it is an honour to welcome you to our stations in Lincolnshire, and we are especially honoured to welcome you twice in one day. Your visits are always a huge boost for everyone involved and they really help to raise the profile of the work of our dedicated volunteers on this very busy stretch of coastline where our stations are an integral part of the local community. We are all extremely grateful for the time and commitment that you give to NCI,” he said.
Jazz Turner Appointed as Honorary Watchkeeper
Jazz Turner, the wheelchair user who recently solo circumnavigated the UK and Ireland, covering over 2,000 miles in her yacht 'FEAR,' has been appointed an Honorary Watchkeeper with NCI.
Stephen Hand, NCI Chair, and David Crozier, NCI CEO, presented Jazz with a certificate of appointment and an NCI polo shirt.
The presentation took place at Newhaven and Seaford Sailing Club where Jazz is a member. The event was packed and Jazz was proud to learn of her appointment with NCI.
Speaking at the event, Stephen Hand, NCI’s Chair said:
"It was a privilege for us to keep watch as you progressed and passed our lookout stations on your amazing journey around the coasts of the UK and Ireland. On behalf of National Coastwatch, I hope that you will accept this certificate of honorary membership of our charity as a mark of our respect and admiration for your achievement in June and with our best wishes for success in your future even more ambitious plans,” he said.
Following the presentation, Jazz delivered an illustrated talk about her extraordinary record-breaking achievement which raised over £58,000 for Newhaven and Seaford Sailability.
Jazz lives with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, a debilitating genetic condition and, due to complications, doctors have told her that her condition is now terminal. But that is not stopping her from planning her next challenge which is to be the first female disabled sailor to take part in next year’s Royal Western Yacht Club of England’s WorldStar challenge.
The WorldStar 2026 leaves Plymouth in September 2026 and tests sailors to circle the globe without outside assistance or stops. Jazz is seeking supporters and sponsors Fundraiser by Jazz Turner : Project Fear - Around the World
Welcome aboard, Jazz!
FLEETWOOD VOLUNTEERS ON TV ‘COASTAL ADVENTURES’
Volunteers at the National Coastwatch Institution’s (NCI) station at Rossall Point, Fleetwood will be among the stars on Channel 5’s ‘Coastal Adventures with Helen, Jules and JB’ to be aired on Tuesday, 26th August at 8pm.
The new series of the show sees the popular presenters Helen Skelton, JB and Jules Hudson explore the UK’s coastline, meeting the people who live and work at the coast and who know its secrets.
Volunteers at NCI Fleetwood, the most north-westerly of NCI’s 61 coastal watch stations welcomed Helen Skelton and the show’s camera crew to the watch tower on a sunny day in May.
Helen met the crew and found out about the work of the charity’s 2,800 volunteer watchkeepers who help to keep people safe and save lives along the coast by maintaining a daily visual and radio watch of the coast, looking out for anyone in potential danger. They report any coastal safety-related incidents to HM Coastguard so that expert help can be sent, including the Coastguard Rescue Teams and helicopters, the RNLI, independent lifeboats and all emergency services.
It was a perfect opportunity to demonstrate the important coastal safety work carried out by NCI’s volunteers and to show off the views across Morecambe Bay, said Ian, NCI Fleetwood’s Water Safety Officer.
“It was a fantastic day and we loved showing Helen and the film crew our views and discuss our responsibilities at Rossall Point. We assist our HM Coastguard partners and other search and rescue organisations by acting as ‘eyes and ears’ along the coast. We help to keep locals and visitors to our beaches and in-shore waters safe,” he said.
From the safety of the watch tower, Helen and the crew also saw for themselves the local dangers of fast tides at Morecambe Bay, added Ian.
“Our vantage point provides us with extensive views across the bay and as well as our eyes, we use high power optics to help us keep a look out for anyone at risk of being caught out by the tide or stuck in mud. Helen was particularly interested to hear how our volunteers have raised the alarm early enough to help save lives. We all hope the message on water safety is heard by many and we thank Helen and her team for their visit,’ he said.
NCI Fleetwood has been in operation at Fleetwood since 2008 and moved into the Observation Tower in 2013. The station currently has 46 volunteers who keep a lookout every day of the year during daylight hours.
Many of our stations welcome enquiries from potential supporters and volunteers. Visit Volunteering – National Coastwatch
NCI EXMOUTH’S WATER SAFETY VETERAN
Nothing stops NCI veteran John from keeping a watch on coastal water safety at the busy town of Exmouth, Devon.
With a popular beach, a keen watersports community and a strong local tidal flow that can reach six knots, John knows that danger is only a blink of an eye away.
Having served as a watch keeper in Exmouth for seven years, unfortunately John broke his leg last year and it’s no longer safe for him to climb the ladder into the NCI Exmouth watch tower that overlooks the bay.
Since then, ever-inventive John has found ways to pursue the mission as a Coastal Water Safety Assistant and ensure he can pass on coastal safety information to passers-by.
“It’s a very busy coastal area and I wanted to keep doing my bit to help people stay safe and water safety is very important,” explained John.
By arrangement, John started by sitting outside the station’s former Coastwatch House...until a violent storm damaged the building and it had to be demolished. Undeterred, John is now to be found at the community hub on the seafront, giving a friendly welcome to both visitors and locals. He is armed with leaflet displays and a collecting bucket.
John also attends various local events and local beaches offering wrist bands and safety books for children. He also helps with presentations and looks after the optics in the tower as necessary.
Unstoppable! Thank you John.
JOIN US!
If you’d like to follow John’s example and become a Coastal Water Safety Assistant, we’re looking for more people to join us. The role of CWSAs is to assist trained watchkeepers and officers offer important safety information to the public.
The Purpose of NCI Coastal & Water Safety activity is to offer safety information to the public - providing key safety messages and local information - helping them to make safe decisions and actions - to ‘stay safe along the coast’.
John is one in a million
Many congratulations to John. He's clocked up the milestone of 1,000 watches and he’s one in a million. We’d like to say a massive thank you.
Deputy Station Manager John Osborne was on watch one Tuesday evening in July at NCI Porthcawl. This was nothing unusual but it was John's 1,000th watch since joining the crew at Porthcawl ten years ago in July 2015.
John is the first watchkeeper at Porthcawl to achieve this milestone. To put it into perspective, it’s an average of 2 watches per week over the last ten years, and around 3,500 volunteer hours!
As well as his watchkeeping and Deputy Station Manager duties, John helps to set up the second hand book stall outside the station during the summer months to raise funds for the NCI.
Phil Styles, Regional Trustee for Wales & North West England commented that “John is one of the stalwarts of the station at Porthcawl, and is an example to us all of what the NCI is all about. On behalf of the National Coastwatch Institution Board of Trustees, we offer our sincere thanks and congratulations.”
NEW NATIONAL COASTWATCH STATION OPENS AT CLEETHORPES
Coastal safety at the popular north Lincolnshire resort of Cleethorpes now has the added boost of extra ‘eyes along the coast’ with the opening in June of our new National Coastwatch station, part funded by a generous donation from the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation.
The new station unit is sited on the seafront adjacent to the Cleethorpes Leisure Centre, with views along the beach and across the Humber from where our highly trained volunteer watchkeepers keep a daily watch for anyone in danger along the coast and at sea. We report any coastal safety-related incidents to HM Coastguard so that expert rescue assets can be sent.
NCI Cleethorpes joins the line-up of 60 other National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) stations at key seafront locations in England and Wales, all sharing the same aim of helping to save lives along the coast. And there’s been a warm welcome for the station from the North East Lincolnshire Council, local community and other emergency services partners including HM Coastguard, RNLI and Humberside Police, said Station Manager Rob Druce.
“We’re up and running and will be having an official opening in due course but already the welcome has been absolutely fantastic which is so very encouraging. After so many months of planning, we’re thrilled to be here and already helping to make a positive contribution to coastal safety in the area,” he said.
Within the first week of opening, our newly qualified volunteer watchkeepers assisted HM Coastguard with a number of incidents including someone in need of medical attention and multiple lost children.
Substantial funds were needed to refurbish and equip the smartly liveried station unit with the optics and equipment needed to help our watchkeepers in their work. A donation from the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation established by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the creator and owner of the easy family of brands - including easyJet.com, easyHotel.com and many others (see www.easy.com and www.easyHistory.info), made it possible, said NCI Trustee, Ian Whalley.
“We’re incredibly grateful to the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation for the invaluable support and funds we needed to convert our unit into a fully functioning and very smart watch station and we know it’s going to be a very busy one. As a charity, we rely entirely on the goodwill of our supporters as well as our volunteers. The funds from the Foundation mean we’ve been able to take this big step forward even earlier than we’d hoped and play our part in helping to keep people safe in this very popular coastal location,” he said.
Sir Stelios said: “As a keen sailor myself and a donor to several charities that support maritime safety and pursuits, I have always admired the work of the NCI. I am proud to have assisted this fine volunteer organisation in renovating its Cleethorpes station, which is a vital post on the estuary of the Humber, with high visitor numbers, tidal hazards and important shipping lanes. I am sure the new renovated station will be put to good use by the NCI and save many lives.”
More volunteers and supporters are needed to join the crew at NCI Cleethorpes. For watchkeeping roles, no maritime experience is needed as full training is provided. The station will also welcome any interest from people wanting to get involved on a regular or ad hoc basis, to help with fundraising and events, or to provide coastal safety information to the public, again full training will be given. Visitors to the station are welcome and/or to find out more, email [email protected] or call 07355 993831.
NCI ST. DONAT’S BAY STATION UPGRADE SEES NEW CAMERA LAUNCH LIFESAVING ACTION
A new camera installed to help coast-watchers keep people safe triggered the recovery of lost paddleboarders just an hour after being installed in June.
The new equipment, located at Aberthaw, was installed ahead of the official opening of the National Coastwatch Institution’s new interactive seafront area at its St. Donat’s Station. Just an hour after installation, NCI watchkeepers Jill and Karen heard an ‘All Vessels’ call from HM Coastguard requesting any ships to help locate two young paddleboarders missing at Fontygary Bay. Using the new camera, they quickly spotted the boys and helped coordinate their return to shore supported by the RNLI and Coastguard Cliff Rescue Team.
“The new camera means we can now see a previous blind spot, which is exactly where this incident happened,” said NCI St. Donat’s Station Manager Neil French. “Without this camera – generously supplied by Erith Construction Group, fitted by Stormforce Security Ltd. and hosted by CCR – we simply couldn’t have seen those lost paddleboarders.”
The drama unfolded just ahead of a weekend to officially open NCI St. Donat’s first interactive seafront zone, aimed at sharing safety information 24/7. It was officially opened by HM Lord-Lieutenant of South Glamorgan, Morfudd Meredith, at the seafront of UWC Atlantic College, which has a proud history of lifesaving rescues.
“Our new area expands the station reach and assists coastal users to stay safe even when we aren’t actively keeping watch,” explained Neil French. “But it also means people can access the station from the Wales Coastal Path, to come and meet us, see what we do and learn more. Along with the useful information and fun new elements like a free-to-use telescope, local maps and wildlife identifiers, we hope visitors will thoroughly enjoy the new experience.”
The partnership project has transformed a corner of the iconic seafront. It was made possible thanks to support from Glamorgan Voluntary Services through the Third Sector Small Grants scheme – Community Action supported by the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund. Further generous support from The Waterloo Foundation, UWC Atlantic College, Friends of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast and Llantwit Mayor Town Council Mayor Dr Peter Dickson turned the idea into reality.
“I’d like to say a huge thank you to all the partners, helpers and supporters who’ve made this possible – especially our former Station Manager and recent recipient of Bro Radio’s Volunteer of the Year Award, Jo Schup, who led the whole thing,” added Neil French. “If it can help keep more people safe, by sharing good tips for enjoying the coast, then that’s good news for us all.”
NCI St. Donat’s Bay is also actively keeping a special lookout for the next intake of volunteer watchkeepers. The station, based at UWC Atlantic near Llantwit Major, is the eyes and ears along the coast to help keep people safe. Working with search and rescue teams including the RNLI and HM Coastguard, NCI St. Donat’s Bay is crewed by a team of volunteers from the local community, staff and students from the College.
Open during daylight hours, it’s aiming to expand to 7 days a week with the help of more volunteer crew. New recruits will receive full training in nautical knowledge, search and rescue protocols and a range of skills required to meet the high standards of HM Coastguard and the RYA.
Volunteers are aged 16+ of any gender and work alongside local volunteer crew, student cadets and staff at the College to deliver a year-round Coastwatch service.
Watchkeepers often come from the local community and all walks of life, offering a wide range of transferable skills and experience but sharing a common purpose: to volunteer their time to search and rescue at sea and on the coast
People don’t have to have any maritime experience as full training is provided.
If you are interested in volunteering at the NCI St. Donat’s Bay station, please email an expression of interest including a brief introduction of your background to the Station Manager: [email protected].
Applicants will be contacted in August with more information and the chance to try it out before committing.
Royal visit celebrations at THE NATIONAL COASTWATCH STATION AT gorleston
Norfolk volunteers had a double celebration during Volunteers Week when Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visited the National Coastwatch station at Gorleston on Wednesday 4 June.
Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal is Royal Patron of the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI), a charity run entirely by volunteers. Her Royal Highness visited NCI Brancaster in January and NCI Cromer in January 2024 as part of an ongoing programme of visits to meet the volunteers at NCI’s 60 coastal stations.
NCI’s stations report to HM Coastguard and have to pass a rigorous programme of assessments to be part of HM Coastguard’s official list of trusted organisations – each known as a ‘declared facility’. They share the same aim of helping to save lives around the coast which the charity has been doing for over 30 years. NCI Gorleston opened in 1995 and stands on the Pier, on the site of the town’s former lighthouse and later the Coastguard station, with sweeping views out to sea. There are 43 members including trainees, all of whom are volunteers and they are on watch every day from 8am to 8pm in the summer months. They log around 500 vessel movements each month and in 2024, they assisted HM Coastguard with eight incidents and there have been a further four this year.
All 2,800 National Coastwatch volunteer watchkeepers help to keep people safe and save lives along the coast by maintaining a daily visual and radio watch of the coast, looking out for anyone in potential danger. They report any coastal safety-related incidents to HM Coastguard so that expert help can be sent, including the Coastguard Rescue Teams and helicopters, the RNLI, independent lifeboats and all emergency services.
The Princess Royal was received at the station by His Majesty’s Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk, Mrs Jane Cator. She presented NCI Chair, Stephen Hand who introduced Station Manager, Bob Griffiths, Deputy Station Manager Garry Hitchings and watchkeepers Tom Foster and Barry Banham.
Her Royal Highness visited the station’s watch room for a briefing about the watchkeepers’ work.
After visiting the station, The Princess Royal attended a reception at the nearby Pier Hotel. Around 50 NCI Gorleston volunteers, watchkeepers, donors and supporters met Her Royal Highness.
Also present were NCI Trustee Linda Lawrence, maritime search and rescue partners including HM Coastguard, RNLI and the RNLI lifeguards. The local community was further represented by the High Sheriff of Norfolk, Patrick Lines; Cllr Thomas Fitzpatrick, Chair of Norfolk County Council; Cllr Carl Annison, Mayor of Great Yarmouth and the local supporters of NCI Gorleston.
The Princess Royal then unveiled a plaque to mark her visit to the station and presented long service awards to:
10 Years: Tom Foster and David Dick
20 Years: Andy Lee
Stephen Hand, NCI Chair, formally welcomed Her Royal Highness to NCI Gorleston and thanked her for her visit.
“Your Royal Highness, as NCI Chair it is an honour to welcome you once again to Norfolk and this time to NCI Gorleston.
“Your visits are always a huge boost for everyone involved, they really help to shine a spotlight on the work of our dedicated volunteers and today is especially timely as we celebrate Volunteers Week. We are all extremely grateful for the time and commitment that you give to NCI,” he said.
NEW NATIONAL COASTWATCH LOTTERY RAISES FUNDS AND BRINGS A CHANCE TO WIN £25,000
There’s a new way to help raise vital funds to support the lifesaving work of the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) and have the chance of winning £25,000 every week with the launch of a lottery scheme operated by Unity.
Each entry into the draw costs just £1 and the draws take place every Friday with a 1 in 69 chance of winning three numbers. There is also the chance to win the top weekly prize of £25,000. At least 50% of the monies from all entries go to NCI and will help support the work of the National Coastwatch. These funds are needed to support the charity’s maintenance and development programmes for the network of 60 coastal stations which are part of the UK’s maritime safety community.
From each station, highly trained volunteer watchkeepers help to keep people safe and save lives along the coast by maintaining a daily visual and radio watch, looking out for anyone in potential danger.
Stephen Hand, NCI’s Chair said:
“As a charity, we rely solely on the goodwill of volunteers, our local communities and generous support from partner organisations and we’re delighted to be among the charities to offer a lottery which will further extend and boost our fundraising activities.
“It’s a win-win as the money raised will benefit all our stations and our planned expansion programme. And of course, it will bring some fun with the prospect of winning cash prizes with the extra satisfaction of knowing you’re supporting a good cause.”
The new lottery expands NCI’s range of easy ways to support the charity and its 2,800-plus volunteers. Other ways to support NCI’s work include a retail website for branded clothing and gifts, JustGiving and through Easyfundraising an online shopping scheme with over 7,000 participating brands who donate a % of your spend to a local NCI station if this is your chosen cause.
The Unity Lottery platform is administered by Sterling Management Centre Limited, licensed by the Gambling Commission as an External Lottery Manager (ELM). Players must be a minimum of 18 years old to enter. For every £1 entry, players receive a unique 6-digit lottery number. The lottery number is randomly allocated when you sign up and remains for the duration of your membership in your chosen lottery.
The lottery is a number match game. Every Friday, Unity generates a random 6-digit winning number sequence. Winners must match 3,4,5 or all 6 digits of the winning number in the correct place in the sequence. Prizes are sent to winners automatically.
National Coastwatch Institution | Causes | Unity Lottery
A ROYAL OCCASION FOR THE NATIONAL COASTWATCH STATION AT ST IVES
It was a day of celebrations on Tuesday 6 May for the Cornwall volunteers who help save lives around the coast when Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visited the National Coastwatch station at St Ives.
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal is Royal Patron of the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI), a charity run entirely by volunteers. It celebrated its 30th anniversary of helping to save lives around the coast in 2024.
NCI St Ives opened in 1999 and in 2010 it received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS), the highest award given to voluntary groups in the UK, equivalent to an MBE. The station stands high on a promontory, allowing the volunteer watchkeepers to maintain a watch over the whole of St Ives Bay ranging from Godrevy lighthouse in the north to Clodgy Point in the south.
All 2,800 National Coastwatch volunteer watchkeepers help to keep people safe and save lives along the coast by maintaining a daily visual and radio watch of the coast, looking out for anyone in potential danger. They report any coastal safety-related incidents to HM Coastguard so that expert help can be sent, including the Coastguard Rescue Teams and helicopters, the RNLI, independent lifeboats and all emergency services.
It is one of 13 stations in Cornwall, all of which are on the South West Coast Path and are popular destinations for walkers keen to get their passports stamped as a record of their route.
The Princess Royal was received at the station by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Cornwall, Sir Edward Bolitho. He presented NCI Chair, Stephen Hand who introduced Station Manager, Jonathan Mills and Deputy Station Manager Paul Edwards.
Jonathan escorted Her Royal Highness into the station’s watch room for a briefing about their work and the particular coastal safety challenges at NCI St Ives including the Stones Reef, moving sandbars and very strong tides which can pose a danger to swimmers. Duty watchkeepers, Margaret Neal and Nigel Mawditt were also presented.
NCI St Ives has a crew of over 50 fully trained watchkeepers who monitor all the coastal activity during daylight hours, with an emergency team on 24/7 standby.
After visiting the station, The Princess Royal attended a reception at the nearby Tregenna Castle Hotel. The reception and use of the facilities were generously donated by the hotel.
The reception was attended by around 60 NCI volunteers, as well as representatives from NCI’s Cornwall-based national office and nearby National Coastwatch stations at Cape Cornwall, Gwenapp Head, and Penzance. NCI Sector Managers Jim Jeffries, Kevin Wyre and regional Trustee Helen Simpson.
Also present were maritime search and rescue partners including HM Coastguard, RNLI and the RNLI lifeguards. The local community was further represented by Mayor of St Ives, St Ives Town Council, Devon and Cornwall Police and the local supporters of NCI St Ives.
The Princess Royal then unveiled a plaque to mark her visit to the station and presented epaulettes to Kevin Wyre, Sector Manager and long service awards to: 10 years: Susan Barraclough, Margaret Neal, Judi Haggerty; 15 years: Mick Haggerty.
The Princess Royal also presented the NCI Certificate of Merit, the organisation’s highest award to Karin Stratford of NCI Gwenapp Head for her prompt action over a concern for two people and a yacht in difficulties, resulting in a successful rescue.
Stephen Hand, NCI Chair, formally welcomed Her Royal Highness to NCI St Ives and thanked her for her visit.
“Your Royal Highness, as NCI Chair it is an honour to welcome you to NCI St Ives on behalf of the watchkeepers of this and three of the neighbouring Cornish stations.
“Your visit is the source of huge motivation and encouragement to our volunteers in their work of helping to keep people safe along this busy stretch of the Cornish coast and we are extremely grateful for the time and commitment that you give to NCI,” he said.
Award for Lifesaving work
Our volunteers do extraordinary work and Karin from NCI Gwenapp Head is one of them.
Her lifesaving actions one stormy day in April have been praised by our HM Coastguard colleagues and she has also been awarded the NCI Certificate of Merit, the highest recognition that watchkeepers can achieve for being directly involved in helping to save a life or lives. The certificate was awarded to Karin by our Royal Patron HRH The Princess Royal during a visit to Cornwall.
Karin was on watch and became increasingly concerned for the safety of a yacht on passage towards Land’s End. In deteriorating Severe Gale Force 9 weather conditions, the yacht turned back, trying to seek shelter in a local bay. Karin alerted Falmouth Coastguard and was asked to keep monitoring the situation while rescue services were on their way.
Shortly afterwards, she heard VHF radio call on Channel 16 from the yacht saying that the two people on board were abandoning the vessel. Due to their location, the call could only be heard by NCI Gwennap Head and Karin immediately relayed the details by landline to Falmouth Coastguard. She then extended her five hour watch by a further two and a half hours until the casualties were rescued, maintaining a visual and listening watch and updating HM Coastguard as and when requested.
The Certificate bears the following citation from HM Coastguard Operations MRCC Falmouth:
“We believe the prompt actions and support taken by your watchkeeper over the concern for a yacht led to the successful rescue of the two crew and the recovery of the yacht. Had the Ch16 emergency call not been picked up by Karin on watch that day the consequences could have been far worse, with no one being aware of the perilous situation that was developing. Please pass our thanks to Karin for a job well done.”
Congratulations Karin!
NCI Swanage Celebrates 30 Years
The National Coastwatch station at Swanage celebrated 30 years of helping to keep people safe and save lives around the Dorset coast on 15 April 2025.
It was the second National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) station to open and now forms part of a 61-strong network of stations at key points along the coastline of England and Wales. The station is on the site of an old Coastguard Lookout, and is sited at Peveril Point, with sweeping views across Swanage Bay and out to sea.
Across the country, 2,800 NCI volunteer watchkeepers help to keep people safe and save lives at sea by maintaining a daily visual and radio watch of the coast, looking out for anyone in potential danger. They report any coastal safety-related incidents to HM Coastguard so that expert help can be sent. This assistance comes from the Coastguard Rescue Teams and helicopters, the RNLI, independent lifeboats and all emergency services.
Martin Jones, Station Manager at Swanage, said, “We’re tremendously proud to have achieved this milestone and we look forward to the next thirty years. Our dedicated team of nearly 70 watchkeepers keep watch 364 days a year, during daylight hours (as we are all volunteers, we allow ourselves Christmas Day off!). An even more impressive way of thinking about it is to consider that we’ve kept watch for around 100,000 hours. Over the past thirty years we have logged somewhere in the region of 360,000 vessels; assisted with and instigated responses to numerous incidents and we’ve definitely been instrumental in saving lives.”
Martin continued, “We’ve had several notable highlights during the last thirty years. In 2012 we were awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS). Now known as the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, KAVS is awarded to voluntary groups for their contribution to their communities and is often referred to as the MBE for groups.
“In 2021 we were privileged to be visited by our Royal patron, HRH The Princess Royal. and in 2024 we were awarded the High Sheriff’s Award which recognised our contribution at improving safety in Dorset.”
The National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) began life in December 1994 when its first station opened at Bass Point, in Cornwall. It was formed following a tragedy where two local fishermen lost their lives. Since then the organisation has grown and there are now over 2,800 trained volunteer watchkeepers at 61 stations from Fleetwood on the West Coast round to Filey on the East Coast.
The Swanage station can trace its history back to at least the 1870s when it was a coastguard lookout. Shortly after the Cornish station at Bass Point opened, NCI founder, Captain Tony Starling-Lark was invited to Swanage with a view to open an NCI station in the former coastguard building. Instrumental in this meeting was the late Ian Surface BEM, who was also the officer in charge of the Auxiliary Coastguard team in Swanage. Ian quickly gathered a team of volunteers, including members of his auxiliary team, and the second NCI station, in the country, was opened.
Like all NCI stations, Swanage is staffed purely by volunteers and receives no external funding. In addition to their watchkeeping duties, the volunteers are responsible for raising the Station’s running costs, which are around £14,000 each year. To achieve this the Station relies on the generosity of its local community and the general public.
NCI St Agnes Head receives Civic Award
Congratulations to all the crew at NCI St Agnes Head on receiving a prestigious Civic Award from Truro City Council.
The annual awards recognise local volunteers who have ‘gone the extra mile’ and NCI St Agnes Head representatives were at the packed event in March. It is organised jointly by Truro City Council and Truro Old Cornwall Society.
Paul Caruana, Truro Civic Awards coordinator said: “It is with great pride that I nominate NCI St Agnes Head Station Manager and his team of volunteer watchkeepers for their unwavering commitment to the National Coastwatch Institution ‘Eyes Along The Coast’ who keep a vigilant and watchful eye on the safety of our local mariners and coastal-path users alike.”
The extensive refurbishment of the off grid station is being achieved with the generous support from the community and businesses.
Pictured are (l-r) Ian; Sally; Mark, Station Manager; Kevin; Kathy; Andy and David, Helen (front right), Regional Trustee for Cornwall.
“The volunteer members of NCI St Agnes Head, with the help of a Cornwall Council grant and absolutely amazing generosity from other local organisations, have been able to replace the roof, replace the windows and door, install a high velocity wind turbine and new internal desks. We also have three solar panels on the outside of the building, which were provided as a donation from Natural Gen, a local off grid company, for which we were very grateful, and supported by the superwind wind turbine (Purchased via Cornwall Council Grant),” added Paul.
An official ceremony to thank the community and celebrate the station’s refurbishment will take place later in the Spring.