Annaul Report 2017
Introduction
Surf-Lifesaving is unique as a sport in that it’s goal is not just entertainment or fitness but to save lives. Surf-Lifesaving training benefits everyone. This is why the club aims to keep membership fees low, so everyone can take part. The open environment and coaching we provide, where 550 members are encouraged to use the equipment and building as much as possible and supported to achieve their individual goals in surf-lifesaving, takes its toll and needs resourcing.
Volunteers
The club would not run at all without the dedication of the committee, coaches. lifesavers and supporters. As the club has grown and regulatory requirements increase, we rely ever more on a deep network of volunteers willing to give up significant amounts of their time to make all the achievements below possible.
2017 was the year…
Membership:
- We became the largest surf lifesaving club in the UK with 550 members!
Finance:
- We resolved a backlog with the charity commission achieving complete compliance.
- We applied for and were awarded two lottery grants for equipment totalling £18,000.
Coaching:
- We delivered 192 hours of youth coaching.
- We expanded Nippers to include a new younger age group with over 40 children in reception and year 1 joining our beach sessions.
- That Fi retired from running our Junior group leaving it in very healthy state with plenty of helpers and 60 participants, requiring us to create a second group for the pool.
- We ran our first adult pool sessions following on from the beach sessions started in summer 2016.
Training:
- Paul and Hawthorn took on the role of heading up our adult and junior beach lifeguard course with 30 candidates achieving this important award.
- The number of qualified coaches in the club reached 20, ensuring our coaching is delivered professionally, safely and to the very best of our ability.
- 15 people qualified as first responders, enhancing our ability to deliver casualty care in an emergency.
Events:
- Our Dog racing, EBO Coastathlon and Bawden Rocks days were better supported than ever before making them great fun and raising important funds for the club.
- We successfully held a big party – The Surfers Ball!
- We ran a new “Surf Cadet Day”, introducing surf lifesaving to 80 kids from local schools, some of whom had never been in the water before.
Competitions:
- Our team of 20 nippers represented the club brilliantly at the Frostbite and Max Hocking events putting in some great individual results.
- We entered two lady’s crews (placing 2nd and 6th) and one men’s crew (placing 7th) in the UK National Sun-Zapper surf boat series.
Patrolling:
- We demonstrated compliance with national standards to become a registered lifeguard unit within the UKSAR framework.
- We patrolled the beach for 22 days over the Easter holiday and October half term as well as assisting the RNLI patrol the beach during peak, weekend hours of the summer holidays.
Premises:
- The building was kept clean and tidy and remains a welcoming, open environment for members to use anytime they are at the beach.
Equipment:
- We undertook a major programme of repair over the winter and, with the national lottery grant and Hendy/Pinmar fund were able to purchase a range of new equipment. All of which was well used but well looked after.
- We launched a new range of surf club clothing through a partnership with Granite Sports.
Support:
We couldn’t have done this without the generous support of: The Blackheads Motorcycle Gang, Lou and Mount Hawke Village Stores for raising money for the club at the Driftwood Spars firework display (2016). Luke Hendy / Pinmar for donating the winnings of a golf tournament, CRABS rowing club, Mark at Piran Surf for keeping our surf cadets warm in Iglu Wetsuits, EBO Adventure for working with the club to run the Coastathlon, Jigger and the guys at St Austell brewery, Dan Provost and Zoe Percival for the ice cream! The Cornish Pizza Company for donating a proportion of pizza sales to the club, Finisterre for providing great equipment for our patrols, St Agnes RNLI Lifeboat & Lifeguards for helping the club with training and patrols, Martyn Ward who dedicated so much time to help us run our lifeguard patrols. The Lascelles Family for helping us fundraise at the Rioja challenge in memory of Chops. Split Endz hairdressers for massaging on our behalf, The St Agnes hotel and Pete Mitchell for hosting a quiz night in aid of the club as well as the local businesses who donated prizes. Minzy and the crew at Pro Foam for creating our honours board, St Agnes Local Improvements Committee for contributing towards our shower project. St Agnes Sports Club for letting us party on their pitch! Blue Hills Campsite for encouraging customer donations. Breakers Café who supported our hungry lifeguards with reduced price food. St Agnes Bakery and Carr’s Butchers who provided burgers and bread and all those parents and helpers who toiled to fuel our fundraising engine – the club BBQ for over 56 hours! Debs & Minnow for their donations and Jean Blunsdon for letting us use the beach.
Looking forward
In 2018 we hope to
- Further expand the reach of our surf cadet programme (more schools, more days).
- Continue to grow adult participation and training opportunities.
- Get more people involved in patrolling.
- Involve junior members in community projects in addition to lifeguarding.
- Increase participation in surf lifesaving competitions.
- Make new equipment available to as many people as possible.
- Progress the project to build Chop’s memorial shower.
- Try to find some additional storage for club equipment near the beach.
- Change the structure of the charity to a CIO. Reducing the risks to individual members from the collective activities of the club.
- Continue to develop and document our processes, working towards clubmark status.
- Continue lobbying the UK government to ensure that the residency rights of weever fish are withdrawn promptly following brexit.
