22nd June 2016. The newly-opened NCI Charmouth lookout began operations on Sunday May 29 and this week received a welcome donation of £150 from Charmouth’s Nisa store.

The new watch station, based in a Napoleonic-era lookout close to the Charmouth Heritage Centre, is an outstation to NCI Lyme Bay’s main lookout at Hive Beach and is the first outstation of its kind within the National Coastwatch Institution. It will complement and enhance Lyme Bay’s existing capabilities and provide trained watchkeeper coverage on a popular part of the coast. Initially, Charmouth will operate single watch periods at weekends and bank holidays between 11am and 3pm, although this will eventually be extended to two watches with the long-term objective of operating on weekdays too.

The money was awarded from Nisa’s ‘Making a Difference Locally’ initiative, which supports local good causes, and a cheque was handed over to Mike Seaman, the Charmouth lookout manager, by the store owner, Maria Tritton, The funds have been earmarked to buy an essential marine VHF handheld radio.

The Charmouth lookout is opening with a one-year probation assessment period and, if successful, this will become a more permanent facility. The photograph is courtesy of the Bridport and Lyme Regis News, shows Nisa store owner Maria Tritton presenting a cheque to Mike Seaman of NCI Charmouth.