RNLI on the lookout for new beach lifesavers in Tyne and Wear

Recruitment for this season’s lifeguard team has started nationally in preparation for providing local authorities and landowners with the service they request to keep the nation’s beachgoers safe this summer. The charity’s lifeguards not only rescue those in difficulty in the water, they also provide vital beach first-aid and safety advice to ensure visitors can return home safely.

In 2022, RNLI lifeguards provided patrols and responded to more than 18,000 incidents, helping more than 24,000 people in need and saving 117 lives.

Last summer, lifeguards plucked stricken swimmers from powerful rip currents, saved children being blown offshore in inflatables, came to the aid of paddleboarders and gave lifesaving CPR on beaches among the thousands of incidents they attended.

Successful applicants will receive world-class lifesaving training, enjoy good rates of pay, the possibility of flexible working patterns and develop valuable skills for a future career.

Sean Mills Lifeguard Supervisor for Tyne and Wear, said: ‘To anyone thinking of becoming a lifeguard, just do it. It’s the best job, it’s so rewarding, and it keeps getting better – there’s so much opportunity for growth in the role.

‘I love being outside on the beach all summer and sharing my knowledge with people. It often doesn’t feel like a job because I enjoy it so much, which is something a lot of lifeguards say.’

Lee Fisher, Lifeguard Experience Manager said: ‘Beach lifeguarding is a great opportunity and a very rewarding role that changes lives – including your own – all whilst enjoying the beach as your office.

‘Our lifeguards range from teenagers all the way up to lifesavers in their 70s, as long as you meet the fitness requirements and you are over 16 years old, there could be a role for you.

‘The job also has great paths for progression - we have lifeguards who have been working for the RNLI for years, both on the beach and as part of our support teams, and the skills you gain can make an ideal first step towards many careers. It’s a great opportunity whether you want a rewarding summer job or to pursue a career in lifesaving.’

Find out more about becoming a lifeguard at rnli.org/BeALifeguard.

Notes to editors

The fitness requirements for lifeguards are to be able to:

• complete a 400m pool swim in under 7½ minutes, the first 200m of which must be completed in under 3½ minutes.
• complete a 25m pool swim underwater and a 25m surface swim consecutively in under 50 seconds.
• complete a 200m beach run in under 40 seconds.

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.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.