Dear Colleagues 
Christmas and New Year 2025  
It has been a privilege to Chair this incredible organisation to which we all give so much time and  
commitment, for another year. Our watchkeeping operations have gone from strength to strength as the  
latest incident statistics show with your efforts involving us in over nine hundred search and rescue incidents  
this year so far. Our involvement in several high-profile rescues has been featured nationally on TV and in  
the media. We have nearly doubled our efforts in coastal and water safety promotion; we have launched  
several national fundraising initiatives and – as many station managers heard at our recent meeting - we  
have launched a significantly changed management organisation.  
Two stations, Lee-on-the-Solent and Nell’s Point were honoured by receiving the King’s Award for Voluntary  
Service, and we also had the honour of welcoming our Royal Patron, HRH The Princess Royal to our stations  
at Brancaster, St Ives, Gorleston, Mablethorpe and Cleethorpes. Once again, we made excellent showings at  
the Southampton Boat Show and Seawork and we held a highly successful reception at the Stelios  
Philanthropic Foundation in the presence of our Royal Patron for potential corporate donors and supporters. 
In June we were able to open our 61st station at Cleethorpes, made possible by the wonderful support from  
the community and generous funding provided by the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation. Also, for the first  
time in our history, we attended the Annual Seafarers’ Service at St Pauls Cathedral and were ably  
represented by flagbearers from NCI Felixstowe. 
This year has also been notable for the achievements of the remarkable Jazz Turner who has a debilitating 
condition that doctors have said is terminal. Jazz won multiple awards and accolades following her  
completion of a challenging solo circumnavigation trip around the UK and Ireland in her yacht Fear earlier  
this year. During her passage watchkeepers looked out for her safety and we were very proud that she later  
accepted the title of honorary watchkeeper and was our guest at our London reception and met our Royal  
Patron. We are deeply saddened to learn that Jazz’s condition has now progressed and our thoughts are  
very much with her and her family and friends. 
We are incredibly grateful to all our generous supporters and partners from the corporate and maritime  
sectors. There are too many to name but they include the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, Trinity House,  
Sirius Insight, the Baltic Exchange, and the Seafarers Charity, The Worshipful Company of Shipwrights and all  
our supporters in local communities.  
At the heart of all our activities are our 2,800-plus volunteers and highly trained watchkeepers. Your  
dedication and exceptional commitment to coastal and community safety is a source of great pride. We are 
also proud to be a part of the maritime search and rescue community, working in partnership with  
colleagues including HM Coastguard, RNLI and Independent Lifeboats.  
Thank you all and I look forward to working with you to continue our important work in 2026. Finally then 
may I wish you and all your families a very Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year. 
Stephen Hand  
Chair