• Dare you take the 720m ZipWire challenge?
• Challenge friends, colleagues or your boss!
• Make it a team building event!
• Help us to save lives in our region
• Be the first to ride the UK’s Longest Zip Wire
• Win a trip on a SARA lifeboat

The National Diving & Activity Centre is promoting a Sponsored ZipWire fundraising event for SARA on Saturday/Sunday 14/15th April 2012 at the National Diving & Activity Centre, Chepstow.

Be the First to ride the ZipWire – The highest fundraiser on www.JustGiving.com (online & Mobile donations only) 2 weeks before the event will win the Golden Ticket!

Win a Trip on SARA1 – Every participant collecting £100 or more in sponsorship will be entered in a draw for a thrilling trip aboard a high speed rescue boat with the individual collecting the highest amount of sponsorship guaranteed a place.

This event is being promoted by The National Diving & Activity Centre for the purpose of raising funds for SARA. Registration Fee of £20 is required and a pledge to raise a minimum of £50 sponsorship for SARA is required (registration Fee can be recovered from sponsorship)

Entry forms and further information below:

• ZipWire 2012 Information Sheet
• ZipWire 2012 Team Challenge
• ZipWire 2012 Poster A3
• ZipWire 2012 Entry Form
• ZipWire 2012 Parental Consent

The move sees SARA’s volunteers combining resources and sharing premises with the firefighters to create a hub for water rescue in Tewkesbury and surrounding areas with the station being renamed ‘Gloucestershire Water Rescue Centre’. The partnership means improved coordination and interoperability between the two agencies. SARA has four rescue stations at strategic points along the River Severn, including Sharpness Lifeboat station which is also prolific in water rescue in the county.

SARA Tewkesbury currently has two inshore rescue boats alongside a boat haulage and land search vehicle. The new centre houses multiple Rescue Boat, Land Search and Swiftwater Rescue Teams providing a greater level of response to all water-related incidents as well as ensuring the area is better prepared for future large-scale floods.

“We are thrilled to be at the heart of this bold move by both our agencies. The benefit this will bring to the local community is huge, and the standard of service we can deliver is first class and unrivalled in the UK. We are looking forward to working ever closer with GFRS personnel and developing our relationship with them”.

Chris Crowley, Station Chairman and charity trustee

.

SARA & GFRS working together on Water Rescue

Photo Opportunity! Gloucestershire Water Rescue Centre will be officially opened by Gloucestershire County Council Leader, Cllr Mark Hawthorne at 11.30am on Saturday 15th October. Please come along to the centres open day and join in.

In The News:

• Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service (GFRS) – Organisations join forces to boost water rescue response in the county
• BBC News – New water rescue centre created for Gloucestershire
• BBC Points West: 12/10/2011 – SARA & GRFS are featured 10:40 to 13:10
• Gloucestershire County Council – Press Release
• BBC Radio Gloucestershire: 15/10/2011 Flood defences – SARA & GRFS are featured 1:09:00 to 1:13:05
• Mountain Rescue – SARA in UK First for Water Rescue
• Gloucestershire Echo – Tewkesbury home to new water rescue centre
• Tewkesbury ADMAG – SARA joins forces with Tewkesbury rescue station
• narrowboatworld – River rescue centre

Note to media: Usage of the above photos both online and in print, is permitted for publicising the launch of the centre and its open day.

This was the start of a long day, and a longer journey, as Ben (a crew member of Tewkesbury Station) and his friend, Dan Edwards, prepared to start the sponsored cycle ride from SARA’s most northerly rescue station – Wyre Forest – right down to the most southerly – Beachley. The eighty-mile journey would take the intrepid cyclists past the other two stations, Tewkesbury and Sharpness, and would prove be a test of both fitness and determination.

We set off on our way up the M5, and just over an hour later we arrived at Wyre Forest, just north-east of Kidderminster – where we were welcomed by the station manager and promptly offered a cup of tea. Whilst I was sat in the warmth, sipping my tea, the madmen donned their Lycra and hopped on their trusty steeds – raring to set off. As the clock struck eight, they went on their way and this was when the journey had really begun.

I waited around twenty minutes, then set off in my car, thinking I’d catch them up a couple of miles down the road. As the miles went on, corner after corner, I had not seen a glimpse of them and started to wonder whether they had been blown off course (or maybe had stopped for a stealthy bacon roll at a roadside cafe, which I must have driven right past). Slightly bewildered, I pressed on, and after about eighteen miles I spotted two white and blue specks in the distance, just on the outskirts of Worcester on the A38 – under an hour after setting off.

After a quick glucose fix, they were back on the saddles and off again. Following the road through the centre of Worcester, and then out the other side, the weather took a turn for the worse, with the drizzle and squalls setting in. They cyclists were heading straight into a strong headwind and, judging by how the car was blowing around, I realised how challenging the conditions had become. Pushing on, the village of Kempsey had came and quickly went, and as the hedgerows become shorter and the wind got stronger, but onwards they battled.

I drove ahead and then stopped in a lay-by not far from Severn Stoke, and before long they appeared in the distance again, on good form, and waved as they cycled past – clearly comfortable and enjoying the ride. The M50 bridge soon was above us, and on we went towards Tewkesbury. Just after the town centre, Ben and Dan stopped at a car park for a short break and were warmly greeted by the Tewkesbury Station Chairman (Chris Crowley) and Ben’s family. As usual, they didn’t hang around and set off towards Gloucester, still on the A38.

They went through several villages, exposed to the elements, and approached the outskirts of Gloucester. The blustery weather made an already challenging cycle ride into a gruelling slog, and I started to wonder how they would cope from the comfort of my car. It didn’t take long for Ben and Dan to get through Gloucester, and out the other side. Then disaster struck – Ben called to say he had a flat tyre and the replacement inner tube’s valve was not a standard size.

We met up in a car park, and it soon became apparent that no matter how much Dan tried, the valve was not going to fit in the wheel and we had a problem on our hands. After some head scratching, the deflated inner tube was pumped up and we listened for a puncture. Strangely, none of us could hear the leak and we decided to try again – putting it down to a disturbed valve. Suddenly things picked up, the tyre seemed to hold its pressure, and off they set towards Hardwicke.

We met up again back on the A38, near Frampton upon Severn, and I really started to feel guilty being sheltered from the relentless headwind in a car. As the cyclists stopped for a drink, I could see fatigue had set in, and this – compounded with news that the tyre had deflated again – wasn’t good news, with nearly thirty miles to go.

The next ten miles looked like a real grind, but on they went – making steady progress and taking the tarmac in their stride nonetheless. We stopped at Stone, and pumped up the tyre again, and I could see the change in morale as exhaustion had now unmistakably set in. Back on the saddles they went, and they pushed on to Thornbury, where we turned off the seemingly endless A38 and took a smaller road towards Elberton. After a short while on some winding roads, the Severn Bridge appeared over the top of the trees. This was a massive psychological boost and the new lease of life gave a prolonged burst of speed as they flew down the lanes towards the estuary.

The next problem was the power of the wind over the two-mile bridge – forcing them to temporarily have to hop off and push. Once well over the Severn and above the Wye, Ben and Dan clambered back on and fought the wind, making their way to solid ground where they could almost taste the tea that was brewing at Beachley station. The final leg of the journey was punishing, and the last five miles, running on fumes, just seemed endless.

They cycled through Chepstow, with a half flat tyre on Ben’s bike, back over the Wye again, and into Sedbury they trekked. The finish eventually came into site and the two exhausted cyclists met a warm welcome from cheering crew members from Beachley and Wyre Forest.

A fantastic effort all round, and a huge thanks to Ben and Dan for such a feat of determination – all for SARA.

Want to sponsor Ben? Click here to give online via Just Giving!

In The News:
This is Gloucestershire – Ben’s aiming to raise bundle for SARA fund

The team unpacked the delivery to find it included a Rescue Pathway, Scoop Stretchers, Spine Boards, Head Immobilisers, 46 Meters of New England Rope, Medical Boxes, a Basket Stretcher and various other rescue equipment.

If we had to purchase this equipment, we estimate it would have cost in excess of £4000. SARA Tewkesbury would like to thank Ferno UK Ltd for their hugely generous rescue equipment donation and the crew have already started to use the equipment in training.

Donations like this make all the difference to voluntary rescue teams, and this donation will make a real difference to the service we can provide to local people. If you can help support the Rescue Station, please contact Sarah Kneath, Chairman, Tewkesbury Rescue Station (sarah.kneath@sara-rescue.org.uk)

Ferno UK Ltd – http://www.ferno.co.uk

SARA 11 is currently the newest boat in the fleet, and was purchased as part of establishing the rescue service in the town. It was funded by donations from the local community.

The school ran a non uniform day for all the pupils and they raised £111.05 for SARA which was presented by the schools Head Teacher, Mr David Forster.

We invited the SARA team into school as we felt that not only were they an invaluable resource to our community of which the children should be aware, but also in order to raise the awareness of the children of the importance of water safety, particularly in the Tewkesbury area with its history of flooding.

The children were thrilled to meet the team and ask questions of them about the water safety equipment and procedures for life saving that were demonstrated. They particularly enjoyed seeing the 4 x 4 and safety boat and also myself wearing the dry suit provided by the team, which created much hilarity!

A big thank you to SARA and keep up the good work.

Mr David Forster, Head Teacher
Carrant Brook Junior School

SARA volunteers strongly believe that teaching local children about water safety is an important aspect of our work and we would like to thank the school, parents and pupils for their support.

“Mobile 3, a Land Rover unit based at Tewkesbury, is in need of electrical rewire / modernisation of all the axillaries and charging system. This donation enables this work to be completed without delay.”
Sarah Kneath, SARA Tewkesbury Chairman

The crew of Tewkesbury would like to say a big thank you to the Tewkesbury Cross Stitch Club for their support.

In The News:
This is Gloucestershire – Rescue group’s on the lookout for new home

The station members attending the event were able to discuss water safety issues with parents and children, distribute the new SARA Water Safety leaflet ‘What to do when someone falls in the water’ launched earlier this year. The crew also discussed the station’s existence and activities with many members of the public, who were pleased to hear SARA had opened a fourth station in Tewkesbury.

Photo used with Parental Permission

In the news
This is Gloucestershire – Celebration of firefighting at open day event
Gloucestershire County Council – Golden day for Cheltenham Fire Station

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

The new boat is now housed alongside Tewkesbury’s existing boat, SARA 6, at Basepoint in Tewkesbury, who are kindly leasing a unit to SARA as an interim measure until permanent premises are found.

Tewkesbury are now able to provide comprehensive safety boat cover at local events, as well as continuing to work alongside the other 3 stations when called upon to by the emergency services during search and rescue/recovery operations. SARA 11 completed her first operation on Saturday 19^th June at Tewkesbury Regatta, where 8 schools converged on the Severn at Lower Lode for the annual competition.

“Everybody from SARA worked extremely hard. Happily for us, no rowers needed our assistance. The only drama occurred when a pleasure cruiser became grounded as it was navigating the boating channel on the course and got stuck. SARA crew towed this large craft to deeper waters where they were able to continue their journey.”

Sarah Kneath, SARA Tewkesbury Chairman

SARA Tewkesbury would like to thank the public for their overwhelming generosity and making the acquisition of this vital rescue boat possible. 

See this sory in the news:
Gloucestershire Echo – Delight as boat unveiled for rescue missions

This week saw an announcement in the Summer 2010 edition of the ’Tewkesbury Borough News’, a council produced newspaper, that she would be supporting The Severn Area Rescue Association by making them one of her five chosen charities for the year. 

Everyone is encouraged to look out for the mayor’s upcoming fundraising events, the proceeds of which will be donated to the mayor’s chosen charities. 

“With the help of the mayoral team, I look forward to serving this community and pledge to do my very best to use the civic year to support, facilitate and enable initiatives of benefit to all within the borough of Tewkesbury.”
Mayor Cllr Elaine Hancox

 We would like to thank the Mayor for pledging her support to SARA.

Click to download a copy of Tewkesbury Borough News, Summer 2010 (8.2Mb)

Tewkesbury Borough News is the Council-produced newspaper published three times a year and delivered to every household in Tewkesbury Borough.