Get Involved
Join the Crew
Hope Cove Life Boat is on call all day every day.
So when the pagers go our crew stop whatever they’re doing. They put down the knife and fork and leave dinner to get cold, again. They interrupt the job they were doing, they’ll have to finish it later. They pause the family conversation and say “I’ll see you later.”
Because the pager means someone’s in trouble at sea. Someone needs rescuing. That’s the call to the volunteer crews of our lifeboats to drop everything. And run.
Run to the lifeboat station. Their pulse will be racing. Their adrenaline will be pumping. They’ll be going through a series of mental and physical drills to calm their nerves, clear their heads and prepare themselves whatever they’re about to face.
When they reach the station they’ll be briefed. They’ll kit up in a survival suit, a lifejacket, and a helmet. They’ll check their crew mates are all ready to go.
Then they’ll launch themselves, into whatever the mother nature has to throw at them. It might be a simple shout – a paddleboarder pushed out to sea on an offshore breeze. But it might be much harder. A big storm. A search for a missing person. A medical emergency.
They’re all volunteers. And maybe you could be one too?
Volunteer and Get Involved
Everyone who works on and with Hope Cove Life Boat is a volunteer. They give up their time to operate the boat, and to keep it afloat.
We are always looking for new volunteers to join our crew in one of a number of different roles. Don’t worry if you get seasick – we don’t just want crew for the boat. There are lots of ways that you can get involved.
Being part of our crew is a unique experience. Not only are you saving lives and doing something for the community, you’re part of a unique team of people. You’ll learn new skills, learn more about yourself, learn more about your community. It’s hugely rewarding.
We believe that everyone has skills and experience that can benefit the lifeboat. You don’t need any special training – we do that bit. So whatever your background we’d love to talk about how you can get involved
Boat Crew
Our boat crew are the ones who go to sea.
But you don’t need to be an experienced mariner to be part of the crew. We’ll train you in first aid, survival and rescue techniques, boat handling, and teamwork.
Being a team player, willing to learn and contribute in is important. You need to live within a few miles of the station and be able to respond when the pagers go.
Shore Crew
It’s no good having a lifeboat ready to go if we can’t launch it. Our shore crew are the ones who do the essential job of getting the lifeboat into the water, and back out again after a shout. In the middle of a busy summer day that’s not an easy task.
You need to be able to get to the station quickly in the event of a shout, and clear a path quickly for the lifeboat to get out of the station and into the water – clearing the traffic safely whilst answering countless questions about what’s the shout?
Support Crew
Our boat, our launch tractor (we call it the Dumper) and our equipment take a battering on a challenging job. They need constant maintenance to ensure they’re always ready for action. That’s the job of our support crew – to make sure we’re ready for the next shout.
Many of our support crew have some specific, specialist skills or experience – they might be experts in boat maintenance for example. But we also need people to look after our supplies and kit – making sure that we’ve got everything we need.
Fundraising Crew
Hope Cove Life Boat only exists because of the generous support we receive. Raising the funds to keep us afloat, to maintain our equipment, and fund replacements is a constant challenge. The good news is there are lots of ways to get involved.
If you live locally to Bigbury Bay then you can help us at our events, selling hoodies on a Sunday morning for example at our Hoodies at the Hut sale.
But you can also join our fundraising crew from further afield. We’re on the lookout for people with marketing, social media, and design skills to join our crew.
So what are you waiting for…?
Everyone has skills that can help Hope Cove Life Boat, and volunteering is a rewarding experience. To find out more about how you can help, or to volunteer, please get in touch.