Following a “wear a T-shirt for SARA day” held on Thursday 15th July 2010, Churchdown Village Junior School have generously donated £158.50 to SARA’s Tewkesbury Station to go towards a new engine which is desperately needed.

This followed a visit by 2 crew members on the 12th July where they talked about water safety in the school’s assembly.

SARA volunteers Dave Thompson and Victoria McKenzie with Jessica Gibbs from the Free Press and pupils at Pembroke primary school

SARA volunteers strongly believe that teaching local people about sea safety is one of the more important aspects of what we do. As the summer starts and the weather warms up there is a massive temptation to take a dip in either the River Severn or Wye, but SARA want to remind people that these waters are very dangerous. Throughout June SARA have been visiting local schools to speak to children about how to stay safe this summer.

On 11th June Dave Thompson and Vicky McKenzie went to Pembroke Primary School in Bulwark to present children with certificates of thanks for raising money to replace SARA 3. They also took SARA 3 and Mobile 1 with them and spoke to several classes about the dangers of the water.

The next day, on 12th June Mark Carwardine and Vicky McKenzie went to Offa’s Mead Primary School’s Summer fete in Sedbury with SARA 3 and Mobile 1. The children were given informal discussions about how to keep themselves safe while enjoying the summer weather.

After more than a year of searching for a suitable building, the crew of Tewkesbury Rescue Station are celebrating after Basepoint offered a unit rent free for the next two years!

The unit will not only house the team’s vehicle and boat, it will also provide a great office space.

“Without this generous offer from Basepoint, Tewkesbury SARA would be a lot further away from becoming an operational rescue station, and huge thanks must go to manager Kate Harrison for arranging this.”

Sarah Kneath, Station Chairman

SARA Tewkesbury would also like to thank Cheltenham College for allowing them to use their boathouse in Lower Lode Lane as a temporary base until a more permanent home was found.

Once up and running, SARA Tewkesbury will serve as a stand-alone station operating within the Tewkesbury area, as well as continuing to provide assistance where needed further afield.

Tewkesbury will be holding a station open day on Saturday, October 31, which will be open to everybody to come and meet the crew.

See this sory in the news:
Tewkesbury Admag – River rescue team celebrates new base in Tewkesbury
Evesham Journal – River rescue team celebrates new base in Tewkesbury
Invest in Gloucestershire – Business centre aids SARA team

Over the recent weeks where weather conditions has disrupted travel arrangements, Severn Area Rescue Association (SARA) has been called upon by West Midlands Ambulance Service to transport essential staff, get paramedics to locations where medical aid was needed and patients to hospital by using their landrovers and four wheel drive expertise to overcome the snow and ice. The volunteers were stationed at Kidderminster Ambulance station and deployed to a variety of locations, from Birmingham to Clows Top, Tenbury to Shrewsbury and in Brierley Hill. 24 hour cover was provided by SARA to the Ambulance service and this assisted in ensuring the emergency service could continue to operate even in areas of very difficult access.

It became apparent that even though the SARA team has a number of drivers, not all had much off road experience and the fact that 24 hour cover was required in the inclement conditions meant it was difficult to find sufficient available volunteers to cover the whole period. This cover was achieved but the shortage of training was highlighted.

In stepped Landrover. A one day course, tailored to SARA needs, was provided to six of SARA’s volunteers on 11.2.09 which took place at the home of Landrover Experience, Eastnor Castle Nr Ledbury, Herefordshire. The six drivers were given a theory lesson and then practical experience in snow, ice, deep water and muddy conditions, all typical of what the volunteers can expect to face on any of the callouts they are asked to attend at whatever time of year. www.landrover.com/experience

Alan Stanley, SARA Executive Chairman and member of the Wyre Forest team stated “this was an invaluable gesture by Landrover and the volunteers cannot thank them enough”. He added “It will result in making our access to scenes so much safer and the reliance on the same drivers so much less”.

Digging the first sod. From left to right Arthur Burden (Chairman Burdens Group) Merv Fleming (SARA Beachley Station Chairman) Eddie Hayward (Chepstow Plant International) Peter Wischhusen (SARA Executive Fundraising Officer)

Work began today, Monday 12th November, on the long awaited Boathouse extension to the SARA (Severn Area Rescue Association) Chepstow Rescue Station. When the £300,000 project is complete it will enable this vital lifesaving organisation to keep its frontline rescue boats and emergency response vehicles under one roof. Thus improving emergency response times and equipment reliability as well as providing a purpose built classroom for community awareness of water safety on the dangerous river Severn and estuary.

The building contract has been awarded to a local building contractor G Hughes (Chepstow) Ltd part of Chepstow Plant International Limited with the national builders merchant Burdens providing materials at a substantial discount.

Peter Wischhusen, Executive Fundraising Officer for SARA said “It is great to see this essential project get underway. We are grateful to the contractors G Hughes (Chepstow) Ltd for providing charitable terms for the contract and to Burdens for their generous offer of materials well below market price. We are also grateful to all those individuals and organisations that have generously donated funds towards this development but we are however still in need of £120,000 to complete the project and I would appeal to businesses, community service clubs, social clubs and individuals to donate what they can in order that we can complete this lifesaving project without delay.”

Peter went on to say “We would also be grateful to receive donations of equipment, in particular an air conditioning unit for the drying room and lights and electrical fittings.”

SARA was actively involved in many rescues during the recent flooding in Gloucestershire and remains in full readiness for the next inevitable incident wherever this may occur throughout its area of operation stretching from SE Wales to the Midlands, its volunteer members are on call 24/7.

If you or your organisation would like to make a donation please send your cheque payable to: SARA BUILD ACCOUNT to The Lifeboat Station, Beachley, Chepstow, Monmouthshire, NP16 7HH or if you would prefer to present a cheque in person phone Peter Wischhusen on 01594 510349 01594 510349 who will make an appointment with you.