We are based at Friars Cliff beach with our clubhouse just behind the Beach
Hut Café. We provide teaching and training to Nippers (7-12 years), Juniors
(13-18 years) & Seniors (18+) learning lifesaving skills for the pool
& open water. Our ultimate aim being to prepare our members to attain
the Surf Life Saving Great Britain Beach Lifeguard qualification which
is the internationally recognised qualification to be able to provide a
lifeguard service on the beach.
If I may give a brief history of the club – it was first established in 1970 and for many years provided local beach life guard services. However about 4 years ago the main driving force behind the club tragically died and his death understandably had a huge impact on the membership & the committee.
Numbers dropped dramatically and at one stage we were down to about 10 regular attendees across all our age ranges. A new committee was formed with a group of parents being delegated committee positions. The training was initially taken on by two of our 17 year old members who took responsibility for the whole of the club training at the pool & the beach.
Owing to their dedication, and those trainers that followed, numbers have grown steadily and currently CLSC is approaching 100 active members. We are now full in all age groups and have waiting lists. Our members are fairly well spread locally with members from Christchurch, Highcliffe, New Milton, Walkford, Bransgore & Ringwood.
Over the summer & autumn the club provided its first Beach Life Guard & Pool Lifeguard Courses for 5 years. Following the assessment of these students the club now has 3 new Beach Lifeguards and 3 new Surf Life Savers & 11 Pool lifeguards.
Whilst the RNLI currently provides the main lifeguard service on the local beaches, we work closely with them and last year 2 of the team of 6 for Highcliffe, Friars Cliff & Avon Beach were previous club members giving back to the community the expertise they had gained. We have an excellent relationship with the RNLI and next year, are planning to undertake voluntary patrols with them over the summer so that our younger members can become more involved.
Whilst the club is orientated around lifesaving, we have a strong community focus. We have a regular stall at the Fit Christchurch event, provide members to assist with car park duties for the Christchurch Food Festival cover stations at The New Forest Marathon & provide a float for the Highcliffe Carnival. Last year the club was formally recognised in the Christchurch Community awards with an individual and club nomination.
We are currently desperately short of equipment especially rescue and race boards for our senior, junior and nippers hence our request for financial assistance. These boards cost in the region of £850 so are difficult to self finance. We are totally self-supporting and our fund-raising sub-committee is looking at long-term funding through grants. However when we resume our beach training in the spring, the lack of equipment will impact directly on our ability to deliver training.
I appreciate that in these difficult times requests for money will be coming in thick and fast but I feel the club is vital for the area – it provides a focus for the youngsters at the beach – offering them the opportunity to learn and obtain qualifications – compete against local life saving clubs or if not interested in these, a fun environment to respect and stay safe in the sea.
Simon Lancaster
Treasurer
Christchurch Life Saving Club |
