Volunteers are amazing. But don’t take our word for it...

International Volunteer Day is held on 5 December every year to pay tribute to all the amazing people who give their time to help others. At HM Coastguard, volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officers are our lifeblood. 

They make up the more than 3,000-strong Coastguard Rescue Service which is on standby round the clock, every day of the year, to respond to incident and emergencies by the coast as well as supporting partner agencies inland. 

Forming 300-plus Coastguard Rescue Teams, they are based all around the UK coastline, from Scilly to Shetland, Ballycastle to Berwick, and Cardigan to Clacton. 

They are trained in search and rescue techniques in a variety of environments: cliffs, mud, tidal and shallow waters. 

They can also deliver casualty care, support helicopter landing sites and assist other agencies. They will even check the shoreline for stranded whales or reports of pollution. 

We think our volunteers are amazing.  

But don’t take our word for it. Read the thoughts of people who saw them in action. 

 

Julie  

I was walking the coast path at Abbotsbury when I fell getting over a stile and injured my knee which caused me great pain and was subsequently found to be fractured.  

My husband called the emergency services. As I was located in an inaccessible area I was rescued initially by the Coastguards from Wyke Regis.  

I want to thank Duncan and his team (some came also from West Bay) for their dedication and professionalism. I am so grateful for their help and want them to know how very grateful I am.  

They helped move me from the field along a narrow track to a waiting ambulance where I was treated for my injury and then on to hospital for X-ray.  

The kindness and care was outstanding and I have the utmost respect for these marvellous people.  

Nigel Clarke  

I had to call the Coastguard out at Lyme Regis for a Canadian elderly woman who had collapsed near the beach at Lyme Regis. 

The Coastguard arrived and provided an excellent service and I would like to send my thanks for responding so quickly and efficiently. 


David and Elizabeth Baines  

I cannot commend highly enough the two Coastguard teams who were nothing but spectacular, professional, empathetic and always positive. 

We would like to be able to make sure that others appreciate the support that you provide for the community and how you respond with positivity even when some teams turned up having travelled from Barmouth to support us. 

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. 

 

Darren Roddis  

Just want to express my gratitude and respect to your brilliant work and rapid response time after calling about the lad that was in the river tonight. Unbelievable how soon you got to the lad and how professionally the situation was dealt with. 

I have nothing but admiration for the service. Well done to all of you. Hope the lad is ok and in a better place. 

 

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