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NCI Shoreham welcomes HRH The Princess Royal on International Volunteer Day

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Volunteer watchkeeper Mike Hobbs received his 15 years long service award. Image credit: Nigel Hudson
Volunteer watchkeeper Mike Hobbs received his 15 years long service award. Image credit: Nigel Hudson

Sussex volunteers at the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) station in Shoreham had an extra reason to celebrate International Volunteer Day (5 December) when Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal paid a visit.

The Princess Royal is Royal Patron of NCI, a charity run entirely by volunteers. This year it celebrates its 30th anniversary of helping to save lives around the coast.

The Princess Royal’s visit to NCI Shoreham is her seventh to an NCI station this year.

WWII roots

One of 60 NCI stations around the coast, NCI Shoreham was originally built as part of the emergency coastal battery at Shoreham Fort during the Second World War. It housed a powerful searchlight designed to spot enemy vessels approaching the coastline. After the war it appeared in the film ‘Battle of the V1’, before being used to house the fuses for the harbour lights for the reconstructed harbour entrance in the 1950s. The building was then largely left untouched until 2008 when the volunteers of NCI completely rebuilt and equipped it as a new lookout along the busy stretch of the coast between Brighton and Worthing.

All 2,800 National Coastwatch volunteer watchkeepers help to keep people safe and save lives at sea by maintaining a daily visual and radio watch of the coast, looking out for anyone in potential danger. They report any coastal safety-related incidents to HM Coastguard so that expert help can be sent, including the Coastguard Rescue Teams and helicopters, the RNLI, independent lifeboats and all emergency services. 

Her Royal Highness was briefed on the coastal risks at Shoreham and the work of the volunteers, who have been involved in over 40 incidents in which 12 people were rescued in the past 12 months.

Situated on the western side of Shoreham Harbour entrance and mouth of the River Adur, NCI Shoreham oversees the busy coastline between Brighton and Worthing. The wide variety of marine users keeps the volunteer watchkeepers at Shoreham on their toes throughout the year. From commercial vessels to fishing kayakers, large dredgers carrying aggregate for the construction industry to small sailing dinghies, kite surfers, rowing boats, jet skis, swimmers, and more, all come within sight of the station.

Recognising long service

After visiting the station, The Princess Royal attended a reception at Shoreham Sailing Club. The reception was attended by around 45 NCI watchkeepers and guests from the local community including Shoreham RNLI, HM Coastguard Shoreham and Shoreham Port Authority. Also present were Richard Durrant, Patron of NCI Shoreham; Jo Shiner, Chief Constable of Sussex Police; Joss Loader, Local Councillor; and Gary Baines, Friends of Shoreham Fort.

The Princess Royal presented long service awards to Mike Hobbs (15 years), Tim Tuson (5 years), and Craig Searle (5 years).

Her Royal Highness also unveiled a plaque to commemorate the visit which will be placed in the Shoreham station.

“As one of the busiest Coastwatch stations in the NCI, I’m very pleased that all the hard work that we do has been recognised by a visit by Her Royal Highness.

“We have been working extremely hard in preparation of the arrival of Her Royal Highness, and I’m delighted that the effort has paid off.”

Colin Clay, NCI Shoreham Station Manager.

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