9 November 2012 The Mayor of the Vale of Glamorgan, Councillor Eric Hacker visited the NCI station at Nells Point, Barry Island on Friday 2 November and was met by the Station Manager Terry Ewington and his team. The Mayor was shown around the lookout and the exhibition room on the ground floor of the station featuring the history of NCI nationally and the 49 separate stations that it operates around the UK coastline. Councillor Hacker congratulated the watchkeepers on their very important contribution to the safety of persons at sea and along the Vale coastline. 

Nells Point has had a busy season despite the unsettled weather throughout the summer. Incidents in which they have been involved have varied from persons stranded on Sully Island to dinghy’s capsized in the channel and a Dolphin carcass being washed up on a local beach. 

With the winter months now looming, the daytime watch will continue surveillance out to sea and along the coastline working side by side with other search and rescue agencies along the Bristol Channel and beyond. 

 Nells Point, and indeed all the NCI stations around the English and Welsh coastline, receive no funding from either local or national government. It costs each station on average between £4,000 and £5,000 per year to exist. With equipment and utilities to be paid, the committee and management teams must organise fund raising events throughout the year and rely on the public for their support. To this end, the Mayor has invited the crew to hold a Coffee Morning at the Civic Offices, Barry on Tuesday 26 February 2013. 

Pictured above from left to right are Clive Hosken (Deputy Manager), Terry Ewington (Station Manager) the Mayor, Clive Wilton (Deputy Manager) and Nick Rodgers (Duty Watchkeeper).