New boat will save lives as we head into dangerous winter months, thanks to National Lottery Funding
Porthtowan Surf Life Saving Club has been a fixture on Porthtowan beach since 1955 – teaching residents and visitors how to safely have fun in the sea and providing vital lifeguard assistance. Now, thanks to £10,000 of National Lottery funding, the organisation will be able to purchase an inshore rescue boat, allowing them to swiftly get to people in trouble who would otherwise be dangerous to reach. It is just one of 184 organisations in the South West to be awarded over £6.2 million in the past three months* by The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK.
The organisation, which is made up of over 200 trained members, provides a vital service – especially now the summer months have drawn to an end and there are no longer full-time lifeguards on the beach. With the advancement of wetsuit technology meaning that it is possible to be in the sea all year round and with the growing popularity of outdoor sports, people can often get in life-threatening situations.
Adam Richards, Chairperson at Porthtowan Surf Life Saving Club, said: “There are lots of people now who are using the coast a lot more which is great, but they don’t necessarily understand the dangers. Our job is to educate people on where to go in, how to be safe, and what to do when there is an issue, which there often is. Last year we rescued four people in one weekend. If we hadn’t been there, they would have drowned.”
“What the boat will enable us to do is to rescue people very quickly from the surf area. It will also allow us to cover a much bigger distance. It is going to be a tremendous asset to have on the beach.
“With kids aged five and upwards taking part in sea safety sessions, the local primary school is waiting excitedly for the arrival of the inshore rescue boat, as are the adults!”
Adam continued: “We’re going to start a whole training pipeline for our juniors to use the rescue boat. The whole idea is that they will qualify as a surf lifeguard as well as a surf boat driver at the same time. The kids are very excited at the possibility of that. The over-forties are also very excited!”
Rowan Miller, Head of Funding for the South West at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, this vital funding will have a huge impact on the lives of all those who use Porthtowan beach. This last year has been incredibly challenging for communities and we applaud the volunteers and groups that have been keeping us safe as we enjoy the outdoor activities that have been keeping us going through lockdown. As we all look to the future, we’re excited to see how local groups will use this funding to further support their communities to prosper and thrive.”
Cornwall isn’t alone in benefiting from National Lottery funding. Today it was announced that nearly £65 million has been distributed to almost 2,000 community organisations across England in the past three months*. National Lottery players raise over £30 million each week for good causes across the UK, helping people and communities to build back from the pandemic, prosper and thrive.
The announcement comes shortly after The National Lottery Community Fund released a new report, Putting Communities First, which sets out the impact National Lottery funding has had on communities across the UK over the last five years.
The report shows that on average 5.2 million people across the country a year were supported by National Lottery-funded projects, with 97% of grant holders reporting improvements in their participants’ mental health, self-esteem and social contact.
During the pandemic, in 2020 alone, The National Lottery Community Fund distributed almost £1 billion to charities and community organisations across the UK.
To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk