RNLI lifeguards on more Welsh beaches than ever before for summer 2016

From Saturday (2 July) a daily lifeguard service will be in operation on 38 beaches across Wales – more than ever before.

And RNLI Lifeguard Manager Jacob Davies, who is predicting a busy summer season, is urging beach visitors to Respect the Water and always visit a lifeguarded beach.

RNLI lifeguards have already been on duty on some places since Easter and have been involved in a number of incidents, including the rescue of a kite surfer who got tangled in his lines off Langland Bay, Gower, and a family who were brought back to safety by lifeguards at New Quay in Ceredigion after being cut off by the tide.

But from Saturday (2 July) the Welsh lifeguard service will be up to full speed, with lifeguards on duty daily on all beaches between 10am and 6pm until the end of the season on 4 September.

This year RNLI lifeguards are on duty on seven more Welsh beaches, with the service extending to four beaches in Porthcawl, Rhyl and Prestatyn beaches in Denbighshire and Three Cliffs Bay on Gower. 

Jacob said: ‘Our lifeguards have all completed their training and we are ready to lifeguard more Welsh beaches this summer than ever before.

‘As the summer holidays approach we are coming towards the busiest period of the year on the beaches and our lifeguards will be on hand every day throughout the summer to provide information and advice on safety to visitors.

‘We advise people to always choose a lifeguarded beach and to swim between the red and yellow flags.

‘All of our lifeguards are approachable so I would urge anyone with any questions about any aspect of beach safety to say hi and have a chat with them.'

The RNLI operates a seasonal lifeguard service on beaches in the Vale of Glamorgan, Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot, Swansea, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Denbighshire. The services are provided in partnership between the RNLI and councils and other landowners.

The final Welsh beach to have RNLI lifeguards this year is Pendine Sands in Carmarthenshire, where the daily summer service begins on 9 July. At Whitesands beach in Pembrokeshire and Trecco Bay in Porthcawl the season runs until 25 September.

In 2015 the charity’s lifeguards responded to 815 incidents and assisted 901 people on Welsh beaches.

For more information and advice on all aspects of beach and coastal safety visit the RNLI’s Respect the Water campaign website at rnli.org/RespectTheWater and for a full list of RNLI lifeguarded beaches please visit http://rnli.org/aboutus/lifeguardsandbeaches/Pages/Lifeguarded-beaches.aspx.

Notes to editors:

The attached picture shows RNLI lifeguards in Rhyl - one of the service's new beaches for 2016

Interviews with RNLI lifeguards are available on request.

RNLI media contacts:

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Chris Cousens, RNLI Press Officer, Wales and West, on 01745 585162 or 07748 265496 or by email on [email protected]. Alternatively call the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 142,700 lives.

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