Hastings RNLI Volunteers train with emergency services
Volunteer crew from RNLI Hastings took part in a joint water safety training exercise with local search and rescue partners, organised by HM Coastguard.
The exercise brought together a range of organisations involved in keeping people safe along the coast, including RNLI lifeguards, community first responders, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, Sussex Police neighbourhood policing teams, HM Coastguard teams from Hastings, Bexhill and Rye, and Pett Level Independent Rescue.
Hosted by HM Coastguard in Hastings, the session provided an opportunity for responders to share water safety knowledge, develop rescue skills and strengthen working relationships ahead of the busy summer period.
Lot Astbury, Senior Coastal Operations Officer for HM Coastguard, said:
“Thursday night was a fantastic opportunity to bring together blue light responders operating in and around the Hastings area. We were able to share water safety knowledge, better understand each other’s equipment, and practise lifesaving skills and techniques ahead of the summer season.”
The well-attended exercise gave Hastings RNLI volunteer crew the opportunity to train alongside partner agencies and gain hands-on experience with a range of water safety equipment.
Paul Freathy, chairman of Hastings lifeboat station, said, “Training alongside our partner rescue services is invaluable. It strengthens our ability to work together effectively during incidents and ensures we are ready to respond when it matters most."
Paul added, "As volunteers, our crew give their time freely to train and maintain the highest standards, all with one shared aim, to save lives at sea. Exercises like this reflect the dedication, teamwork and commitment that underpin everything we do at the RNLI.”
Training exercises like this play a vital role in ensuring that RNLI crews and partner organisations can work effectively together during incidents, helping to improve outcomes for those in difficulty in the water.
The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteer crews provide a 24/7 search and rescue service, relying on public donations to continue their lifesaving work.
2026 marks 25 years of RNLI lifeguards keeping our beaches safe.
Media contact
Hastings RNLI volunteer press office Linda Revill [email protected] or Regional Communications manager Jess Curtis [email protected]
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.
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