RNLI Lifeguards Back On Sheppey Beaches

People visiting Sheerness and Leysdown beaches this weekend will see the start of this summer’s lifeguard service.

The six-week Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) weekend and bank holiday Lifeguard service starts this weekend (Saturday 28th May) at Sheerness and Leysdown beaches ahead of the summer season.

The seven days per week summer service covering Sheerness, Leysdown and Minster beaches starts on Saturday 9th  July through to Sunday 4th September.

Cllr Monique Bonney, committee chair for regeneration and property, told SFM News: “We’ve just received blue flag awards for all three of our bathing beaches and it’ll be fantastic to see people starting to use them more as the weather warms up. Every year we start with a part time weekend and bank holiday lifeguard service at our busiest beaches - Sheerness and Leysdown - before we move on to the seven days per week summer service for Sheerness, Leysdown and Minster beaches. We are delighted the RNLI continue to provide lifeguarding on our lovely Blue Flag beaches. We want you to have a great summer on our beaches.  We encourage you, where possible, to visit a lifeguarded beach, know the risks, understand the flags, leave inflatables at home and stay safe. Finally, please take your rubbish home so it does not endanger other beach users or the environment.”

Cllr Sarah Stephens, vice committee chair for regeneration and property at Swale Borough Council, told SFM News: “Please remember, being able to see a lifeguard isn’t an excuse for taking risks, and even though a beach has lifeguards, people should always be careful in and around the water. There’s lots of information and advice on the RNLI website, and I’d urge everyone to have a look at their float to live advice. If you’re visiting the beach with the kids, don’t forget you can grab an armband from one of our lifeguards, write your phone number with waterproof ink and give to the little ones to wear just in case you get separated. In the case of an emergency at the beach, seafront or sea, dial 999 and ask for the coastguard.”

For more information about Swale's beaches visit their website: swale.gov.uk/seafront.