Coastguard Association News

2019 Annual General Meeting

The 2019 Annual General Meeting of the Coastguard Association is scheduled to take place on Saturday 23rd March 2019 at the Tontine Hotel in Greenock. This is always a great opportunity to meet the committee members either socially or during the AGM, and to share thoughts and ideas. If you can make it, we would love to meet you there? Put the date in your diary now…

The 42nd Annual General Meeting of the Coastguard Association took place at 10:00 on Saturday 24th March at the Muckleburgh Military Collection Museum, Weybourne Camp, Weybourne Road, Holt, Norfolk NR25 7EH.

Congratulations to the Sherringham Branch of the CGA for being nominated the Chairman’s Branch of the Year!

To download the 2018 CGA minutes click the link below:

CGA 2018 AGM Minutes

Just Giving Page

We are delighted to announce that the Coastguard Association now has it’s very own presence on the Just Giving Website, which means that you can easily start fundraising for us online by:

Organising your own event in aid of the CGA – a fun run or coffee morning, or perhaps a sponsored kayak
Setting yourself a Personal Challenge in aid of the CGA – maybe your first 10k run, perhaps a sponsored swim or even a sponsored weight loss!
Want to make your 10th year anniversary with the coastguard? – then why not set up a special occasion fundraising event… perfect for birthdays too!
Or you can create a page to raise support or in memory of someone close to your heart…

It is really easy to do – just follow this link for more details: Virgin Just Giving for the Coastguard.

Did you know you can also use this web site to:

Make a donation to the Coastguard Association or
Make a monthly donation

Please share this exciting news by clicking the share links below or sharing the web address: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charities/coastguardassociation … we can’t wait to share with you details of the first planned fundraising event – do drop us an email to pr@coastguardassociation.org.uk if you would like to share your story or get others to donate to donate to your great cause!

Create your own Fundraising event for the Coastguard Association

Thank you

Thank you to Ross-shire and Suntherland District Coastguard Association for their recent donation.

A big thank you to all the long-serving volunteers who have been involved in the Roos-shire and Sutherland branch of the CGA and a delightful welcome to the newly elected officers and we look forward to working with you all in future.

Congratulations to our Vice Chairman

Congratulations to Terry Bearpark, the vice-chairman of the Coastguard Association, who was presented with his 40 year bar by MCA CEO Sir Alan Massey Thursday 12th November.

The presentation took place at Dunedin Country House in Patrington, East Yorkshire and was attended by members of Withernsea Coastguard, Mike Bill and Fran Wilkins of Humber Coastguard and Stuart Arundel (CGA Chair), Alan Fisher (CGA Treasurer) and Paul Davig (CGA Almoner).

Terry started as an Auxiliary Coastguard at Humber MRSC when it was based at Kilnsea, he then moved to Spurn Point in 1975 as a channel 16 radio operator. In the 80s in transferred to Withernsea CG after Humber CG moved to Bridlington.

Terry was also awarded Chief Coastguard’s Commendation in the early 90s.

Terry is a founder member of Humber Coastguard Association which started about 40 years ago and has been their Chairman for many years, we are also delighted to say that he is a founder member of the National Coastguard Association too, and has given us around 40 years of service too – as in 2016 we celebrate 40 years of the CGA.

During his time in service Terry has been involved in numerous rescues and searches.

Photos kindly provided by: Peter Harbour

Voices from the Look Out

Coastguard Association member Clive Edwards is hoping that fellow CGA members may be interested in providing inputs to a project that he has embarked upon in terms of publishing a book featuring articles, anecdotes, stories etc by former members of HM Coastguard about their more interesting experiences and incidents whilst on-watch.

The project has been discussed with Sir Alan Massey the current chief executive of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency, and he has approved the idea. The CGA would also like to offer their support to Clive, and look forward to following the project.

Clive himself was in the Look-Out section at Portland Bill Coastguard for eighteen years until the station was closed, and he was also a member of the Portland Coastguard GP Boat crew for several years before retiring and subsequently setting-up the NCI Lyme Bay National Coastwatch Station where he was Station Manager for three years and where he still does watches. Clive is currently Commodore of the Merchant Navy Association Boat Club and runs their SeaVue Maritime Safety & Surveillance Scheme with some 50 boat owners who keep watch afloat (see www.seafarersafloat.com)

He would be delighted to receive members’ stories either in writing, by email or by post, or he’d be happy to arrange to meet any members who would prefer to talk about their watchkeeping experiences rather than write about them; Whichever method members prefer it would be nice to see our Coastguard’s watchkeeping experiences recorded for posterity and making what must be a valued contribution to the nations maritime history.

If you would like to get involved in this project please contact Clive directly:

email: clivecgedwards@gmail.com
post: Clive Edwards, Hornbeam Cottage, Litton Cheney, DORCHESTER DT2 9AU
telephone: 01308 482605