Why are we fundraising
Due to the COVD19 restrictions there will not be the normal RNLI life guard service on Cornwall’s beaches, and Polurrian beach will not be patrolled at all this summer.
Here at Mullion Surf Life Saving Club, all of our lifeguards and lifesavers have volunteered to provide a new Beach Warden service at Polurrian at the weekends, under guidance from our national governing body, Surf Life Saving GB.
The Beach Wardens are here to advise people of any potential dangers and to provide observation of the water and report incidents to the Coastguard to arrange an emergency response. We are here to prevent people getting into difficulty and needing to be rescued.
We have been operating our beach warden service since the beginning of June, initially at Poldhu and Kennack Sands before the RNLI returned to these busy beaches, and now at Polurrian Cove.
We’re asking for your donations to help us buy much needed equipment for our beach wardens and to train more lifeguards. For example, it costs £340 to train, license and equip one beach warden with a handheld VHF radio. It costs a further £100 to kit out a beach warden with PPE and foul weather clothing.
We are a registered charity and all our coaches and support team are volunteers. We have ten lifesaving volunteers who need your support. This includes some of the following costs:
- New Rescue board
- VHF Radios
- VHF radio training & licensing
- Foul weather uniform to keep our volunteers warm and dry!
- First Aid Supplies
- PPE
- Alcohol Gel/Hand Wash
- Portable Megaphones
We know our beach!
All of our Beach Wardens are fully qualified Surf Lifeguards and Surf Life Savers who have lived here for many years. In the absence of an RNLI Lifeguard presence, our qualified members are voluntarily giving up their weekends to patrol Polurrian beach. In our spare time we love open water sea swimming and we frequently swim from Mullion Harbour to Polurrian Cove or across to Poldhu and Gunwalloe beaches; our knowledge of these waters is unrivalled!
We are not professional lifeguards, but we do know our beach. We don't want to see incidents or a tragedy on our beach this summer. Your support will help us keep Polurrian Beach safe for the hundreds of visitors and community who use it throughout the summer months.
Why is this so important
Everyone at the Club, and all the wider community, want to keep our beach safe. Without our volunteer Beach Wardens, there would be no patrols and no protection at all on the beach for the many visitors over the Summer 2020. We know the sea conditions, we know our beach; we all want to make Polurrian Cove a safe place to visit.
About Us
Since 1959, Mullion Surf Life Saving Club has enjoyed a long and successful history, training new lifeguards, providing voluntary surf vigilance service, and weekly club meetings from Polurrian Cove and Poldhu Beach.
We train children and adults alike in understanding the beach environment, learning about tides, how to recognise rip currents (and know what to do if caught in one) and first aid, all key skills which could save lives or potentially to train to become a lifeguard. And of course having fun and keeping fit in our beautiful coastal environment.
The Club has enjoyed success in both regional and national competitions over the years and has been a valuable asset to the local community.