Sharp’s Brewery and surfing magazine Carve have come together to say thank you to the surfing communities of Cornwall and Devon for ensuring the safety of the influx of beach goers during Covid-19 pandemic.
A film made by the team at Carve magazine, highlighting the key groups and dedicated to the lifesavers, will air online today (Monday 20th July).
Each person highlighted in the film will receive a gift of Sharp’s Offshore merchandise to say thank you for their selflessness.
In addition, a new Just Giving page has been set up to raise funds for lifesaving equipment across the beaches of the South West.
A heatwave across the UK in late May combined with the easing of Covid-19 travel restrictions saw thousands of people head to the coast, resulting in some encountering dangerous sea conditions.
With no lifeguards on the beaches due to Covid-19, a voluntary Beach Patrols was launched using basic equipment to quickly resolve safety procedures and perform numerous rescues.
Despite going beyond their day jobs and giving up personal free time, most of the front-line work of the lifesavers has gone unrecognised until now.
Steve England of Carve surfing magazine had a vision for a film, so reached out to marketing controller of Cornish brewery Sharp’s, James Nicholls, on creating a film to say thanks.
Mr England said: “Surfers and lifesavers are the frontline on many of our beaches for a large part of the year. For the most part their interventions and lifesaving go under the radar, but in the absence of lifeguards, the coastal community stepped in.
“It was such local, grassroots action I don’t think any of them have any idea how large or valuable their collective action has been in preventing loss of life at sea. They predicted the swell, weather and the trouble that some may find themselves in as a result of visiting our coast.
“They used their immense knowledge and skill sets and acted swiftly in great numbers to keep the general public safe on the beaches of Devon and Cornwall. Hundreds of volunteers were making thousands of interventions.
“It was outstanding - one of the most remarkable actions in the coastal community I have seen in my 42 years of surfing. They deserve a huge ‘thank you’ and that’s what this joint film, and Just Giving campaign, is delivering.”
James Nicholls, marketing controller at Sharp’s Brewery, says, “It has been truly humbling and inspiring to have witnessed the community step forward to keep our beaches safe during this crisis.
“Our incredible coastline is an integral part of our county and as a North Coast business it gives us great pride to be able to work with the team at Carve Magazine to recognise and share the courageous acts of these selfless heroes.”
Andrew Mayhew national operations and safety director at Surf Lifesaving GB said: “In Devon and Cornwall alone we recorded 1,621 interventions by Surf Cub volunteers, and we are still counting as we have just not had the time to look at all of them. At a glance, we will nationally be well over 2,000 saves.”
Mr Mayhew continues: “Most clubs have put in ‘monster’ hours, and on average per club over 100 hours per week. On Bank Holiday Monday we saw the likes of Perranporth Surf Lifesaving Club doing a big turn out and putting nearly 400 volunteer hours in in just three days.
“It’s certainly an incredible response and if you add up the national total that’s equivalent to nearly 10 years of reporting since the ease of the lockdown.”
St Agnes Surf Lifesaving Club led the way with observation patrols and wrote COVID-19 operating procedures that were used by many other clubs nationally.
Joel Henthorn said: “Together our 216 volunteer hours delivered 815 preventative interventions / assists and first responses at three incidents at Trevaunance Cove. I have no doubt the club’s community action saved lives."
The film was put together by Cornish surfers Tim Boydell and Ben Jones of Light, Colour Sound.
Mr Boydell said: “As soon as we heard about the project, we knew we wanted to be involved. I've grown up on the same beaches that many of the rescues occurred on, and where I've spent many hours as a kid playing on the beach or as an adult surfing.
“I know all too well the dangers that can occur at the coast and regularly step in where others may not have the experience or foresight to gauge a possible problem or emergency.”
To watch the film in full, click here.
To donate to the Just Giving page, click here.
