The Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade (TVLB) is the oldest and one of only 3 remaining active Volunteer Life Brigades in the UK. The brigade is now been saving lives for over 150 years and, as a charity, has constantly evolved and developed to meet the increased demand on its services. The modern brigade provides a 24-hour, 365 day multi-disciplinary shore based coastal rescue service. The rescue team is a declared facility to HM Coastguard and represents the Coastguard Rescue Service in the North Tyneside and Newcastle area. The brigade currently has 23 volunteer rescue team members and responds to an average of 125 callouts per year, with the most being 151 in 2020. Over time our specialist life saving rescue equipment needs replacing or renewing to ensure our team members and casualties are safe. Our essential equipment includes ropes, harnesses, helmets, descenders and stretchers. We also regularly replace emergency first-aid equipment and casualty extraction equipment.

What we'll deliver:

• Make our coastline safer for visitors and residents
• Provide better and safer outcomes for those in difficulty or distress
• Keep our volunteers safe and provide them with equipment they need

Why it's a great idea:

The TVLB currently covers wide and diverse area of coastline and riverbank. The area includes large cliffs, rocky coastlines, riverbanks and sandy beaches. The area also has tourist hotspots, a working fish quay, marinas for leisure and working craft and a tidal island. The TVLB provide a coastal search and rescue service throughout this area and our services involves dealing with casualties or incidents in a variety of locations. These types of rescues involve large amounts of specialist equipment, which is carried in our rescue vehicle. Due to the stresses on this equipment it has a limited lifespan and requires regular inspections. Without this essential equipment we would be unable to provide this service and it would require other services such as Mountain Rescue to cover the coastline which would greatly increase any response times and increase risk to casualties. The new equipment will save lives and improves outcomes as well as keeping our volunteers safe.

Steps to get it done:

• Replace and upgrade stretcher extraction equipment
• Replace and upgrade rope rescue equipment
• Replace life saving first aid equipment
• Replace and upgrade water rescue equipment