7 May 2009  On Wednesday 6 May Lady Mary Holborow, The Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall, performed the official opening of the new NCI lookout station at St Agnes Head in Cornwall.

Approximately 40 people attended including watchkeepers from NCI St Ives, Portscatho and Rame Head. Also present were Bill Makin from the National Trust and the Chair and Secretary of St Agnes Council. Following brief speeches from Operations Manager Mike Pulley thanking all volunteers and sponsors for their great support and NCI Chairman Jon Gifford congratulating everyone involved in the refurbishment and recruitment process, Lady Holborow expressed her ongoing support for the work of NCI around the coast before cutting the blue ribbon and declaring the station open.

The old lookout station was found to be unsafe due to its construction from mundic block. It has been sensitively rebuilt by the National Trust with green energy in mind. Sheep’s wool has been used as insulation, rainwater is recycled for the toilet and solar panels and a small wind turbine provide the power to charge the batteries which are used for the equipment.  The lookout is also one of only a handful in the country to have access for people with disabilities.

The station has now been operational for one month manned by nineteen fully qualified volunteer watchkeepers with a further fourteen under training. At present it is open from 08.00 to 20.00 hours at weekends and Bank Holidays but, when the fourteen become qualified in approx two months time, the lookout will be manned for at least four days a week.

Funding for the rebuilding came from the National Trust, with additional funding for the solar panels, wind turbine and other equipment from the Cory Enviromental Trust, The Norman Family Charitable Trust, BBC Radio Cornwall, St Agnes Local Improvements Committee and Cornwall Morris Minor Owners Club.