A team of life-saving heroes are looking to make waves when they unveil their spectacular new base.
Southport Lifeboat’s spectacular structure on Marine Drive will be three times bigger than their existing lifeboat house, which is adjacent to Southport Pleasureland.
The building is expected to be the biggest lifeboat base in the North West and will cost £1.4million to build – a huge effort for an organisation which relies entirely on donations from generous members of the public.
Building work was suspended in March when the Coronavirus outbreak saw an escalation of cases in the UK. But construction has now resumed.
Southport Lifeboat is currently waiting on an updated programme from the contractors, but hope that the impressive building may be complete by Autumn.
Read More: Thank God for Southport Lifeboat! We owe them a huge debt for the lives they save
The charity is 100% independent of the RNLI and relies on public donations to provide a lifeboat and land-based search and rescue service in an area up to and including the River Ribble to the North and the River Mersey to the South, as well as up to 25 miles offshore into the Irish Sea and in Southport’s Marine Lake.
The closest RNLI stations to Southport are at Lytham St Anne’s and New Brighton, both of which are more than 30 minutes away from the busy seaside resort.
The area’s fourth emergency service has helped to secure the safe return of over 250 people since being formed in 1988. They aim to give their crew the best equipment possible to help save lives both among local residents, as well as over 9 million holiday-makers who visit the resort each year.
Last weekend as people ignored warnings and flocked to the seaside, they were frantic with a number of rescues – they saved a group of 40 people who were cut off by the tide on Southport Beach; reunited missing children with their families; rescued a family in difficulty at the Pier Channel; recovered dinghies that were floating out to sea; stopped children from drowning.
With RNLI lifeguards not operating on our beaches since the Coronavirus outbreak began, the importance of Southport Lifeboat is now more vital than ever.
Southport Beach, with its long, golden sands and the historic Southport Pier stretching out into the Irish Sea, may look very tranquil. But it also boasts one of the largest tidal ranges in the UK.
Because of the large range, it is easy for people to be caught out by the fast-approaching tide which can come in quicker than some can walk. Whilst the beach may look flat, there are sandbanks which means the water can come around the back of you and cut you off.
Many of their call-outs, particularly in the summer months, are to attend to these sorts of incidents.
The new Southport Lifeboat HQ, with its modern facilities, more space and superb views over the coastline, will be a huge asset to our coastline when it opens its doors later this year.
Southport Offshore Rescue Trust Trustee Nicola Goldup said: “We have been able to tick all the boxes necessary to satisfy all parties and can move forward in delivering an iconic building for our seafront, which will serve as an operational base and training centre for all of our crew and life-saving equipment for generations to come.
Photo by Southport Lifeboat.
“We would like to thank everyone who has helped so far; the trust would not be in this position without the kind support of the people of Southport. Wholeheartedly, we thank you.”
The larger, purpose-built station means that both lifeboats and their respective launch vehicles can remain coupled together. It will also allow room for the much-needed facilities crews have been lacking for so many years, all at a location closer to the beach.
The current boathouse was built in 1886 and has served Southport’s independent crew loyally since its establishment in 1987. Inevitably, the facilities are now dated, with the station suffering from a lack of washing provisions, heating and space. The crew often go home cold and wet, with kit that can still be damp three days after being used. But that is all about the change.
Spectacular aerial pictures which have been taken by crew members show the sheer scale of the new base, while artists’ impressions give a glimpse of what they can soon enjoy.
Planning permission was initially granted in August 2015, with the Trust working with Sefton Council and Natural England on the plans.
The dream of a new lifeboat house has been in the pipeline for nearly 20 years, however, the National Lottery rejected a proposal for a new station in 2000 leaving the Trust to raise the necessary funds itself. The hard work is not over, the Trust still needs people’s help and support as they look to raise funds to furnish the inside of the building once it has been completed, as well as for ongoing operational costs.
The need for funding is even more pressing now since the famous Southport Lifeboat charity shop on Everton Road in Birkdale, headed by legendary fundraiser Kath Wilson, has been told to stay shut during the coronavirus lockdown.
It costs £60,000 to keep Southport Lifeboat functioning all year round. That is no mean task during ordinary times, let alone the extraordinary times we currently find ourselves in.
Southport Lifeboat is funded entirely through public donations, and is independent of the RNLI.
There are other ways you can help the charity continue to save lives, including joining LifeboatLotto or online donations.
For more details about the emergency service, or if you would like to dominate, please visit their website:
http://www.southport-lifeboat.co.uk/
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