Newsletter, Winter 2010-11
Royal Visit
Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, is to visit the Hornsea Inshore Rescue Boathouse to unveil a plaque to officially open it on Tuesday, December 14th. The Princess Royal will be arriving by helicopter about 10-30 and will be meeting the crew, viewing a mock call-out (weather permitting, this is Hornsea in December!) and meeting all the support team and some of the people we have rescued in the Lions Room. You are very welcome to come along, but need to let you know that you would not be able to come into the boathouse or compound, and would have to stand outside. Local schools have been invited, and we hope there is a large crowd to welcome the Princess Royal to Hornsea Rescue on this her second visit. You may remember that The Princess Royal opened the Leisure Centre early in the 1990’s and also met the crew of Hornsea Inshore Rescue, which was just starting up.
Thank you
We have certainly come a long way since 1993, and would like to thank you all for the wonderful, sustained support we have received over those years which has enabled us to re-locate in our purpose-built Boathouse and Sea-safe Education Centre at the seafront.
New Boat and Tractor
With very grateful thanks to a generous benefactor who wishes to remain anonymous, we have been able to purchase a new-to-us tractor and we have a new rescue lifeboat on order from Humber Inflatable Boats which is due to arrive in January.
The boat is a 6.0m “Offshore Pro” with a 2.6m beam which will be fitted out to comply with the new rescue boat code that will soon come into force.
The tractor is a John Deere 4055 which is being modified before it is used in the sea to ensure the saltwater does not damage it.
Full details and specifications of the boat and tractor will be posted on the website shortly
Crew Update
We are also very fortunate in having several new crew members who are undergoing training with Sue and Coxswain Neville Metcalf who also runs our RYA courses (see below). We have had some sadness this year when ‘H’ (Henry Kubicki), crew member, fund-raiser, and enormous enthusiast for Hornsea Rescue died, his huge presence has been and indeed still is being missed by everyone. Rather appropriately, the new tractor has been christened ‘Henry’ and we hope some of you will be able to join us for our Christmas Charity Disco which ‘H’ initiated last year- details below.
Like to find out about becoming a member of the crew?
We especially need men or women aged 18 or over who are in Hornsea during the day from 8-00 until 5-00. Contact Sue on 07796-257989 to find out how to apply or for more details.
Events and Fund-Raising
The Christmas Charity Disco with Great Prize Raffle is at the Ex-Servicemen’s Club on Back Southgate on Friday 17th December, and tickets are £5 which includes a buffet supper. They are available from the Ex-Servicemen’s, Sanbobs and Hot Wines, Sunday mornings from the boathouse, or phone 07947 7369425 (over 18’s only). Last year’s event was really enjoyable, lots of people having lots of fun and getting in the mood for Christmas festivities.
The Halloween bag-packing session at the Co-op raised over £840, thanks to the generous donators and also to the members of our fund-raising team. We are always looking out for new members to join our lively, life-saving group, so if you would like to be involved at all, even if it’s just for an hour or so a week, please let us know.
Would you like to run your own fund-raising event or join our team of fund-raisers?
Contact Fund-raising Co-ordinator Rick Sumner on 01964-532954.
Like to help in some other way? Please phone or Email Sue.
Full contact details are at the end of the newsletter.
Group Visits
Over the last year several groups, mainly from Yorkshire and
Talks and After-Dinner Speeches
Our Chairman Sue Hickson-Marsay’s After-Dinner Speeches have been appreciated for some years now across the country. As the only female Pilot Launch Coxswain in
Royal Yachting Association Courses
Coxswain Neville Metcalfe runs our RYA Courses, Levels 1 and 2 in Powerboat Handling and P.W.C (Jet-bike) proficiency course, from the boathouse and if you would like more details please contact him on 01964-530784 or 07881957069. We are also anticipating starting up a dinghy sailing club next spring/summer, so potential sailors look out for news of this in the press, or have a word with Sue or Neville in the meantime if you might be interested.
Operations Report
From January 2010 we have attended over 60 Incidents including
First Responder Incidents, many HIR crew have been trained as First Responders. At sea, rescues have included two men aged 52 and 84 whose small private fishing boat the Merlin sank a mile off the coast just North of Hornsea (both were taken to Hull Royal Infirmary and fully recovered) and one of the most recent, a joint rescue with the Coastguard when two fossil collectors were cut off by the tide near Atwick. We have had a winching training exercise during daytime and evening with RAF Leconfield, not for the faint-hearted but a crucial part of crew training. We also train and/or liaise with the RNLI and all the other emergency services, Fire, Police and Ambulance.
Happy Christmas
We would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and all you would wish yourself for the coming year. With Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal coming in mid December and a new boat in January, this will certainly be a Christmas to remember for Hornsea Rescue!
Finally, thank you again for your support in enabling us to help make the Hornsea area and coastline as safe as possible. Our annual costs are approximately £35,000 a year which includes operation costs, training, maintenance of the boathouse and equipment, new equipment and insurance. Without your generous support there would be no Hornsea Inshore Rescue. Please let us know of anyone else who would like to receive a copy of our newsletter which comes out twice a year.
Contact Details
Sue
Neville Metcalfe 01964 530784 nevillemetcalfe@googlemail.com
Rick Sumner 01964-534302
Kym Pugh 01964-536769 kympugh@yahoo.com