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RNLI lifeguards return to beaches during Tour de Yorkshire

Lifeguards News Release

Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeguards will be returning to keep watch over beaches in North and East Yorkshire during the upcoming Bank Holiday weekend from Saturday 30 April to Monday 2 May.

The charity’s lifeguards will be providing extra peace of mind to the additional influx of visitors who are anticipated during the Tour de Yorkshire.

The RNLI is the official charity partner of the Tour de Yorkshire, which coincides with the RNLI’s national fundraising campaign, Mayday.

In North Yorkshire, RNLI lifeguards will be at their posts on Scarborough’s North and South bay to ensure visitor safety and to offer friendly advice from 10am to 6pm. They will also be patrolling the beaches at Whitby, Sandsend, Cayton Bay and Filey during these times.*

In East Yorkshire, patrols will also operate at Bridlington North and South beaches and Belvedere and Limekiln Lane beaches over the Bank Holiday weekend.

RNLI Lifeguard Manager, David Brant, said: ‘We are really excited to be back on patrol as the Tour de Yorkshire passes through the area and we’re expecting an extra surge of visitors to the beaches.

‘Our lifeguards will be on-hand to offer friendly safety advice such as always to swim between the red and yellow flags and information on tide times. 95% of the role is preventative but our team is highly trained to deal with everything from locating missing children through to performing major first-aid and lifesaving rescues.’

David added: ‘An RNLI lifeguard vehicle will take pride of place in the Tour de Yorkshire publicity caravan each day, which sets off two hours before the race starts and we’ll be giving away RNLI flags and stickers to spectators. Do give us a ‘wave’ if you see us.’

Councillor Richard Burton, portfolio holder for civic wellbeing and culture, said : ‘I am very pleased that East Riding of Yorkshire Council  is able to contribute financially towards this vital service, which helps to ensure the safety of our beaches and greatly enhance the experience for our residents and visitors.

'Safety is of paramount importance, and I look forward to a safe and successful summer season, where we expect the lifeguarded beaches along the East Riding coast  to be busier than ever this year, especially with the opening of the new East Riding Leisure Bridlington on 23 May bringing more people to the area.’

Notes to editors
*North Yorkshire: following the Bank Holiday, RNLI lifeguards will operate a weekend-only-service at Scarborough North and South Bay, Whitby, Sandsend, Cayton Bay and Filey until 28 May when they will cover the half-term school holiday.

The service will then return to weekends only until 2 July when a daily service will commence and run until 4 September.

East Yorkshire: following the Bank Holiday, RNLI lifeguards will operate a weekend-only-service at Bridlington North and South beaches and Belvedere and Limekiln Lane beaches until 28 May when they will cover the half-term school holiday.

The service will then return to weekends only until 2 July when a daily service will commence and run until 4 September

A seven-day-a-week service will also operate during these times on Withernsea and Hornsea beaches.

* As RNLI lifeguards need to be physically on the beach during the patrolled hours, ready to respond to emergencies and prevent accidents, the RNLI can’t rely on volunteers to provide this cover seven days a week.

Local authorities part fund the RNLI’s costs, which helps to meet the cost of lifeguard wages.

The Tour de Yorkshire:

The Tour de Yorkshire begins on Friday 29 April in Beverley and ends on Sunday 1 May in Scarborough, covering 320 miles and passing through 44 towns and villages as well as some of Yorkshire’s most stunning countryside. The event takes place at the same time as Mayday, the charity’s national fundraising campaign.

Tour de Yorkshire is a Welcome to Yorkshire (WTY) / Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) race in association with British Cycling which holds a 2.1 European Tour UCI Classification.

The Tour de Yorkshire is an annual international race with a new route through Yorkshire each year. It forms part of the legacy of the historic Yorkshire Grand Départ of the Tour de France 2014, along with the Yorkshire Bank Bike Libraries which aim to offer every child in Yorkshire access to a bike.

Picture caption
The photograph shows an RNLI lifeguard on patrol. Credit: RNLI.

RNLI media contacts
For more information, please contact Clare Hopps, RNLI Press Officer, North, on 07824 518641 or at [email protected]


Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.