ALL ABOARD THE SANTA BUS SATURDAY 18 th  DECEMBER 2021 11.00am to 10.00pm @ The Boathouse, PO40 9RA YES… SANTA IS BACK ON THE BUS, DOWN AT THE BAY! Christmas is about children, families and being able to share some time, fun and a good old sing-a-long! Everyone is welcome to our  Community Christmas  to join our festive celebrations with  free  Santa visits, a  free  Santa present for children, a Christmas treasure hunt, refreshments and  free  mince pies, all followed by jolly singing around our Christmas tree.   One lucky person will have the winning raffle ticket for an amazing Christmas Hamper, worth over £250!  (£1 per ticket) 11.00 am to 3.00 pm     SANTA VISITS, SNOW PONY & PIZZA 12 noon     BEER BUS opens for drinks, mulled wine & cider 3.30 pm     CHRISTMAS HAMPER DRAW… not to be missed! 4.00 pm     BAY WAILERS sing...

Freshwater Independent Lifeboat is breaking out the summer with our first Open Day in over a year! SATURDAY, 14 AUGUST 2021 FROM 12:00-20:0 0 The event happens in Freshwater Bay on the 14th of August 2021 from midday until late! "Freshwater Independent Lifeboat relishes the opportunity to open our doors to the local and wider community. Community is at the heart of what Freshwater Independent Lifeboat is about – getting people involved, and of course, saving lives at sea.” - Rob McLaren, Chairman. This will be one of our largest events to date, with stalls from our Community Partners including: + Freshwater Fire Station, + National Coastwatch Institution Needles, + IW Search & Rescue and Suicide Prevention IOW. Also, in attendance; + British Divers Marine Life Rescue + Freshwater Bay Residents Association. Throughout the day there will be live music playing, along with craft stalls, games of skill with an opportunity to learn about the lifeboat service and perhaps become a cre...

Be Coastal Safety Aware! This the time of year where due to all the storms there is an increased the risk of cliff falls at the coast. Some sections of our coastline are particularly vulnerable to cliff falls and landslips and these tend to be more frequent after heavy rain which has fallen on already saturated land. HM Coastguard is advising the public to take great care when walking near cliffs. Be careful when walking on cliff top paths or down on the beach if you are walking below cliffs. Give the cliffs a wide berth and take note of any warning signs in place. Do not get yourself too close to cliff edges, as they could be unstable and crumble away under your feet.? #BeCoastSafe this winter: 🌊 Check tide times and weather before heading out ⛈ Don’t get caught out by fading light, low temperatures or bad weather ⛰ Beware of sheer drops, eroding edges, falling rocks 🤳 Take pictures at a safe distance 🐶 Keep your dog on a lead 👀 Know the dangers 📱 Take a phone 🏠...

  Good morning members, friends and supporters, This newsletter is to give you a small update on what we have been doing of late.   Donation and membership form. Attached with this email   is a copy of the donation and membership form. If you have an old form you will notice that my phone number for contact has changed. Although a large number of you are life members some of you have annual memberships which may be due for renewal.  If your renewal is due and you would  like to renew for 2021/2 please use this form.  For other life members and friends who would perhaps like to make a donation you can use the same form.  Cheques should be made payable to Freshwater Lifeboat. You know it would be put to good use and hugely appreciated.. If anyone wishes to be removed from our database please let me know, it will be done immediately in line with GDPR rules.   What’s been happening? This year has been challenging for us all in many ways, mainly becaus...

Happy New Year!!   What an extraordinary and challenging year 2020 has been for all of us – it’s hard to believe that at the outset of this year, most of us had not even heard the word ‘coronavirus’, let alone considered how it would impact each and every one of us. Reflecting on the year; We would firstly like to say that our thoughts are with those of us who have lost loved ones or suffered hardship as a result of this unforgiving virus. Secondly, we would like to express our thanks to all Lifeboat Volunteers across the UK who sacrifice so much of their time and risk so much for us all every single day. The situation we found ourselves in this year has been extremely challenging as we struggled with the reduced ability to fund raise, recruit new volunteers, retain existing volunteers, and to maintain our training regimen. Many of our most experienced volunteers, who have contributed so much to the Lifeboat in the past, have been shielding since the Pandemic began. Their sk...

Reminder: Lifejackets Are Useless Unless Worn You must have enough lifejackets onboard. This means having lifejackets to suit all shapes and sizes including children and pets. It is the skipper's responsibility to show the crew where lifejackets are stowed, how to don and secure them and when and how to operate them. The  FILB  recommends that when you use your tender and your boat everyone wears a buoyancy aid or a lifejacket. Remember, it is important to use crotch straps to prevent the lifejacket riding up upon entry into the water, ensuring your head is kept clear above the surface. Link to Lifejacket advice