By Isle of Wight Observer
A donation of £2,376 has been made to Ryde Beach Lifeguards, by a branch of the masons.
The contribution was presented by Albany Lodge’s master, Ben Tanner Rolf, and will support the lifeguards’ work on Island beaches.
During the past year, Ryde Beach Lifeguards carried out more than 2,800 patrol hours across Ryde and Sandown beaches. The volunteer team saved two lives, responded to 126 incidents, and assisted 85 people. They also carried out 138 preventative actions aimed at stopping accidents before they occurred.
In addition to frontline patrols, the lifeguards worked closely with the IW Ambulance service, air ambulance crews, HM Coastguard, the RNLI and local lifeboats. They also delivered pre-season safety education sessions for schools and community groups, all without any grant-funding.
Todd Miller, speaking on behalf of the lifeguards as beach manager, said the donation had already been put to use.
“The donation is greatly appreciated, and has already been used to purchase a new surf rescue sled from Australia, which will be used for our operations in Sandown. This will enable the team to use this asset more often, due to the new board being easier to launch and store on site.
“As a small charity, we rely heavily on donations and grants, so we welcome any support from local groups and organisations.”
