Another lookout for Coastwatch Institution

I have written before about the excellent voluntary work that is carried out by the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI). In effect they are taking over the role of the old manned coastguard lookouts and now they have just acquired the keys to the rebuilt lookout at St Agnes Head on the North Cornwall Coast. The old building was somewhat unsafe and so today's custodians of St Agnes Head, The National Trust, decided to rebuild it. Among the plus points are the fact that disabled access has been provided and that the NT have endeavoured to make the building carbon neutral in operation. So far as the latter is concerned they have used sheep's wool in the insulation and rainwater will be used to flush the toilets. Plans are afoot to install solar panels and a small wind turbine.

In previous posts I have been strongly critical, to put it mildly, about wind turbines, but in this location I have absolutely no problem with using one. It should be in scale with the landscape and, being right at the point of delivery in a breezy location, there won't be the power losses associated with cables carrying electricity over a long distance. It's a long time since I've visited the St Agnes area, I must try and do it this year.

It's worth remembering that the NCI started in Cornwall as a result of two fishermen losing their lives off the South Cornish Coast, a tragedy that might possibly have been averted if the nearby coastguard lookout had still been manned. Interestingly three of the charitable organisations that most resonate with me are the NCI, Shelterbox and the Cornwall Air Ambulance. Shelterbox of course started and still has its base in West Cornwall (Helston to be exact) and the Cornwall Air Ambulance was the first of its kind in Britain (and has always been funded by the public with no government money). This might be one of the poorer counties in Britain but we do have a great generosity of spirit.

I'm sure that I've supplied this link before but here it is again for the NCI if you want to read more about the organisation.

Coastguards first ever strike

Last September and October saw me pen pieces about the National Coastwatch Institution whose website can be found here. They are a charity and act as eyes and ears around much of our coast and came into being as a result of a boating tragedy off the south coast of Cornwall. Of course we still have our paid coastguard service and these are the people who will respond to your 999 call. This week the coastguards went on a 24 hour stoppage, the first ever strike in their history. Hardly a hotbed of militancy they felt compelled to take action as they have seen their pay slip to the extent that those in the organisation on the lowest rates are only getting the national minimum wage! Understandably they would like some degree of parity with those manning control rooms in the other emergency services. It is an indictment of our country that we reward such people so badly.

I mentioned the National Coastwatch Institution as they are yet another set of people saving the country a ton of money. Many of their lookouts are the same buildings formerly used by the coastguards. With more people working part time or retiring early there is great scope for folk to do this sort of voluntary work which is usually on a part time basis. If it wasn't for the voluntary sector this country wouldn't be able to function. The point I really want to make here is that with so much of the coastguards earlier function being taken over by a voluntary organisation, the NCI, there is even less excuse not to pay the control room staff at such coordinating centres as Falmouth and Brixham a proper salary.

Nare Point lookout needs volunteers

Toward the end of last month I wrote a blog entry about the National Coastwatch Institution and, more specifically, about their first lookout station at Bass Point on The Lizard. This summer they opened another in Cornwall, a former MoD building at Nare Point on the south side of the Helford estuary where it meets Falmouth Bay. Now I don't pretend to know the past history of this building but imagine that it dates back to World War Two and it's location looking up to the south side of Falmouth and also up the Helford at least as far Polgwidden Cove below Trebah, where boats were assembled for the D-Day invasion, would have made it a vital observation point.

Back to the present. The NCI are appealing for more volunteers to help out at Nare Head. If interested you can turn up at St Keverne Parish Hall on the first Monday of any month at 7.30 pm. Alternatively, and more quickly, one can email the NCI: narepointnci@tiscali.co.uk Where would this country be without all these dedicated volunteers in so many spheres of life.

Coastwatchers receive praise from their boss

Time was when the work of the coastguard service depended largely on numerous pairs of eyes scanning the coastline from a number of unlovely but functional look out buildings dotted along our cliffs. Then came technology and government cutbacks. The result so far as Devon and Cornwall were concerned was the centralisation of their work into more state of the art facilities at Falmouth and Brixham and the gradual abandonment of the lookouts. I think I am right in saying that HM Coastguard look after the North Devon coast, and I suppose some of North Cornwall also, from Swansea. Now this change of policy was pretty controversial at the time, there being a feeling that someone on the spot with a good pair of binoculars was still needed.

A sad event in our area back in 1994 led to the reopening of some of the lookouts. Two fishermen drowned close to the recently closed Bass Point station on The Lizard. Locals decided to reopen the lookout and set up a volunteer watch. From these humble beginnings the charity the National Coastwatch Institution was born. I won't describe their full history because it is easier to go to their website here. From that small beginning a number of the old lookout stations have come out of mothballs including I'm glad to say the one on the cliff south of Boscastle. I have a particular affection for that one with its dazzling white walls.

It is interesting to click on 'reports' on the website, so far in 2007 (at the time of writing) the NCI has been involved in 114 major incidents. This excludes many minor events. The report makes fascinating reading regarding the nature of the incidents and the lookout points involved. There is no doubt that this charity is performing a very useful function; it's interesting to note other charities from Cornwall, the country's first air ambulance for instance (no funding from the public purse), and the brilliant Shelterbox scheme.

I've chosen this moment to blog about the NCI because the volunteers at Bass Point have just been congratulated by the Chairman for their dedication and have received certificates in recognition of the time they have spent there.

There are so many people doing voluntary work very often out of the eye of the general public. It is nice to be able to mention some of them occasionally.