We are hitting the road this year with the ambitious and adventurous plan to visit all 18 operational Coastguard areas during our 50th Anniversary Year! Get in touch at: TheBigTour@coastguardassociation.org.uk
The Big Tour has only been made possible with the help of The Masterserve Foundation and in partnership with Escape Campers.
Current Location: Ayrshire, Scotland (Area 4)
Previous Location: Inveraray, Scotland (Area 17)
Saturday 18th April 2026 – Lytham, Lancashire
It was great to catch up with HM Coastguard Lytham during our recent visit to Area 15 while being hosted by our friends in Fleetwood.
Meeting at the South Pier, we were able to speak with team members about the support our charity can provide and the benefits of being a member, including our new length of service recognition for five, ten and 15 years’ service.
It was also a great opportunity to provide the team with some new information packs and posters for their station, donation business cards and a new air freshener for their Coastguard Rescue Vehicle.
The team then joined colleagues from HM Coastguard Fleetwood on an incident prevention patrol to RNLI Blackpool to take part in their brew with the crew open day.
But not before signing The Big Tour flag which we have had specially made for our 50th anniversary.
Saturday 18th April 2026 – Fleetwood, Lancashire
The Big Tour arrived in Area 15 last month with the incredible help, support and warm welcome from the Area Management Team and local Coastguard Rescue Teams from HM Coastguard Fleetwood, HM Coastguard Lytham and Knott-End Coastguard Rescue Team.
Weekend base camp was established at Fleetwood Coastguard Station, and it was great to join the team with a local tradition of a full English Breakfast before any training session or public engagement event.
The informal gathering over breakfast provided the perfect opportunity to discuss the help and support which our charity can provide to Coastguards past, present and future, and to chat about other support options and activities which we could explore to support our people.
After breakfast, we were delighted to join the team on an incident prevention patrol and having been shown their area of operations, it quickly became obvious why Fleetwood is one of the busiest teams in the UK.
And during the visit we also managed to link up with their flank teams at Lytham and Knott-End, but more on that later.
We can’t thank the team enough for their warm welcome and support throughout the whole of the weekend. And of course, the team got to sign The Big Tour flag, buy some special Coastguard Association merch and we are delighted to have gained new members as well.
Wednesday 8th April 2026 – Holy Island, Northumberland
While visiting Area 5 during The Big Tour we took the opportunity to visit the Holy Island of Lindisfarne.
Accessible only via a causeway when the tide times allow, it is vital that anyone planning to visit checks the tide times in advance and only cross during the designated safe crossing times.
Crossing times are displayed on signs before entering the causeway and also available online at: https://holyislandcrossingtimes.northumberland.gov.uk/
Tuesday 7th April 2026 – Seahouses Coastguard Rescue Team, Northumberland
As The Big Tour continued through our first visit to Area 5 exploring Northumberland, it was great to drop in and catch up with our friends at Seahouses Coastguard Rescue Team
With the sun shining and the town busy with visitors during the school holidays, it was great to find out more about the local area, the history of the coastline and the wide variety of callouts the team attends throughout the year.
And we also spotted one of our posters in the most unique place so far on the tour – in the toilet!
Massive thanks to the team for the warm welcome, hospitality, tea and biscuits. And with the Coastguard Rescue Station just across the road from the RNLI Seahouses Lifeboat station, it would have been rude not to drop in for a photo too.
Monday 6th April 2026 – Newbiggin Coastguard Rescue Team, Northumberland
The Big Tour is now in full swing with phase 2 taking us into Area 5 and the Northumberland coast.
Our first stop was to visit our friends and colleagues at Newbiggin Coastguard Rescue Team to find out more about what life is like on call in Northumberland, what types of callouts the team routinely attend and promote the help and support which our charity can provide.
It was also a great opportunity to find out if there’s anything further which our charity can be doing to support our people which led to some really interesting conversations.
And of course the team have signed themselves into our history with the help of a sharpie pen and our special 50th anniversary flag which is touring the country with us.
Sunday 22nd March 2026 – A Chance Visit to Cleethorpes
On Sunday afternoon and with the duty crew of Rescue 912 deployed to the peak district, we made the decision to make an unexpected visit to Cleethorpes in the off chance the Cleethorpes Coastguard Rescue Team was on station.
As we drove by in our Escape Campers Renault Traffic Escape Crusader, the station looked empty so we continued along the shorefront towards town. And then we spotted it – the Cleethorpes Coastguard Rescue Vehicle coming towards us, heading back to the station.
After a quick about turn at the nearest roundabout, we pulled up outside to say hello.
It was great to catch up with the team post-incident and hear not only about the incident they were just at, but to hear about recent callouts, what life is like being on call in Cleethorpes and a bit about the team’s history.
Of course, the visit wouldn’t be complete with showing the team around the van, dropping off some updated information leaflets about our charity, and getting them to sign The Big Tour flag.
And as we said our farewells and were just about to leave, the distinct sound of pagers being activated could be heard as the team were called out for the second of the day.
Huge thanks to the team for the warm welcome and for their continued service to their community.
Sunday 22nd March 2026 – Missing Rescue 912 By Minutes
After catching up with Mablethorpe, Skegness and Wrangle Coastguard Rescue Teams on the launch day of The Big Tour, the next stop on our Lincolnshire adventure was to visit Bristow Helicopters and the crew of Rescue 912.
Unfortunately, while travelling to the base on Sunday afternoon, the duty crew were tasked to an ongoing incident in the Peak District which would see them deployed for several hours.
We did manage to grab a quick photo however and will just need to return to Area 6 again at some stage later this year.
Saturday 21st March 2026 – The Big Tour Launch Event
On Saturday, the Coastguard Association marked the start of its 50th anniversary with our Annual General Meeting and an open afternoon at our Head Office in Mablethorpe.
Saturday afternoon was also the launch of The Big Tour as our charity hits the road this year with the ambitious plan of visiting all 18 operational Coastguard areas covering the whole of the UK and Northern Ireland during our 50th year.
We are taking our charity out to the coast this year with the help of The Masterserve Foundation and in partnership with Escape Campers utilising one of their Renault Campervan conversions.
And HM Coastguard Wrangle, Mablethorpe Coastguard and HM Coastguard Skegness were all there to support us. The teams also signed themselves into our history with their signatures on The Big Tour Flag.
Everyone who is part of the tour has the opportunity to sign the flag as it travels the country, leaving a lasting legacy on this milestone year. At the end of the tour, the flag will be mounted in our Head Office to mark this significant achievement and adventure.
We will be getting in touch with Coastguard Rescue Teams and Area Management Teams over the coming weeks as we formulate our plan to get around the coast.
Thanks to everyone for their continued support.
Friday 20th March 2026 – One Day To Go
And we have arrived at our Head Office in Mablethorpe ahead of the start of The Big Tour this weekend as we set off to visit all 18 operational Coastguard areas in our 50th anniversary year.
And The Big Tour has only been made possible through support from The Masterserve Foundation and in partnership with Escape Campers.
The Big Tour will officially start tomorrow alongside our Annual General Meeting at the Kenwick Park Hotel in Louth at 10am followed by an open afternoon at our office in Mablethorpe.
Monday 16th March 2026 – Flying The Flag
There’s only FIVE days left until our Annual General Meeting, 50th anniversary launch event and the start of The Big Tour, when we hit the road with the ambitious plan of visiting all 18 operational Coastguard areas this year!
As part of our The Big Tour, we have a special flag which is coming along for the ride and everyone who has helped make it possible will be able to sign the flag, leaving their stamp on this hugely significant milestone year.
At the end of the tour, this flag will take pride of place in the Coastguard Association Head Office and form part of the charity’s history and legacy as we look ahead to the next 50 years of helping Coastguards past, present and future.
And as The Big Tour has only been made possible with the help of our friends at Escape Campers it is only right their team become the first signatures.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us via our social media feeds or at: TheBigTour@coastguardassociation.org.uk if you would be keen to host a visit or be part of The Big Tour.
Monday 9th March 2026 – The Van Collection
The Big Tour is one step closer with the arrival of our fully off-grid campervan from our friends at Escape Campers.
After an overnight stay in Peterborough and nearly 700 miles later, The Big Tour campervan is at Digital Media HQ as preparations continue for what is potentially our most adventurous undertaking yet.
We are hitting the road this year to visit all 18 operational Coastguard areas during our 50th anniversary year to promote our charity, sign up new members and sell some merch.
We have so much to share and we want all of you to be part of our journey as well so brace yourself for lots of Big Tour photos and videos as we get ready to take our charity on the road around the UK.
And The Big Tour has only been made possible through support from The Masterserve Foundation and in partnership with Escape Campers.
The Big Tour officially starts in Area 6 on Saturday 21st March at our Annual General Meeting and 50th Anniversary Launch event.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us via our social media feeds or at: TheBigTour@coastguardassociation.org.uk if you have any ideas or would be keen to host a visit.
Monday 23rd February 2026 – The Big Tour
We are absolutely delighted to share the exciting news of what is potentially our most adventurous undertaking yet as we announce The Big Tour as part of our 50th Anniversary celebrations.
With the support of The Masterserve Foundation and in partnership with Escape Campers the Coastguard Association is hitting the road this year and bringing our charity to you – the volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officers and full-time Coastguard staff around the UK.
The plan: visit all 18 operational Coastguard areas during our 50th anniversary.
The objective: promote our charity, sign up new members, sell some merch and deliver our newly launched Length of Service Recognition Badges.
The planning is now underway, and we will be reaching out to Area Management Teams, Coastguard Rescue Teams and Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCCs) to align calendars and plan our visits.
And there’s big plans for The Big Tour including lots of social media content, a video series, a commemorative Big Tour digital publication and much more!
The Big Tour will officially start in Area 6 on Saturday 21st March 2026 at our Annual General Meeting and 50th Anniversary launch event.
There’s more to be revealed over the coming weeks but in the meantime, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us via our social media feeds or at: TheBigTour@coastguardassociation.org.uk if you would be keen on being part of this 50th anniversary event and hosting a visit.
