The Annual General Meeting of 2018 was held in Fleetwood Nautical college on the 31st October.

I would like to commend everyone for their support in maintaining an enviable watch record by completing and manning all watches throughout the year.  In that respect this has been a good year for the station.

However, It was noted that this had been a difficult year for the members in terms of illness, particularly amongst those volunteers holding committee and management positions in the team.

A large majority of the executive team has had to be replaced or take up a reduced role. These people should be commended for the work they have done in some often quite difficult circumstances.

The station performance and reports from officers are laid out in more detail in the minutes on the National Website.  However, I would like to take the opportunity to ask members for support in deputy positions, particularly if you have a skill that can be useful to the station.   The station cannot run unless the posts are filled and the deputies are an essential part of the organisation in providing support in times of holiday, illness and in extremis a member passing away as happened this year.

And finally ……..the team for 2018 – 2019 annual photograph (courtesy of Ron Murray)

Another year has passed so quickly and this year we have had to be prepared for a ‘No Notice’ DFS check.
This is the new Head Office trial of conducting a performance check on individual stations without a fixed date or any pre warning.
It goes without saying that we should be able to meet the demands of a station that has DFS at all times. However, it is not in peoples’ nature to react well to surprise checks which has the potential to cause some concern with those on the receiving end of the check.
It is with that in mind that the DFS assessors go out of their way to ensure the watchkeepers are put at ease when they arrive.
So what warning did we get of the check this year?…..answer none. The station management team did not receive any notification other that it would be conducted from the 1st to the 13th Sep.
The first the watchkeepers knew that the DFS was to take place was by a call received on Channel 65 from the assessor. Bill T and George S were on duty and the radio was answered promptly using the correct procedures. From the feedback I have had all proceeded smoothly and a good handover was provided to Ann D and Bill C who took over the afternoon shift.
In conversation with the assessor, he reported it was a pleasure to do the DFS at our station again this year. He was particularly impressed with the local area knowledge and the conduct of the watchkeepers throughout the day. He raised some points on the way in which we fill in our Log which I have answered and he accepts since the log may be adapted to suit local station needs. He also spotted that I had not put in the latest chart corrections from the Admiralty. ‘Mea culpa’ I’ve told him we shall institute a method of chart checking for the future, probably with our clock system on the Ops computer. He also asked where our ‘training manual’ was. He was told that the training system is being updated by Martyn C. Whether we actually need a physical paper copy is under discussion. Overall, he commented that the station is very well organised and run very professionally. A copy of the report is on the station notice board.
We are now in my 3rd year as manager and I thank you all for the commitment and willingness to volunteer your time and experience in maintaining the standards required to retain DFS. More importantly, I thank you for the professional lookout maintained during the rest of the year which helps to keep people safe on our shores and sea areas.
Bob Loynes
Station Manager

On Wednesday 8th November a number of our watchkeepers attended the Remembrance Service At the Marine Hall commemorating our fallen, raising money for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.

It was a very proud day for Fleetwood volunteers when we attended a formal ceremony at County Hall to be presented with the crystal award and commemorative parchment signed by Her Majesty the Queen. The photograph shows the Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire, Lord Shuttleworth, meeting members of the station and congratulating them on their receipt of this prestigious award. There are over 8,000 registered voluntary groups in Lancashire, and Fleetwood NCI was honoured to join the handful of organisations selected to receive this accolade in 2017. The official citation made reference to the fact that our volunteers keep watch for more than 5,000 man hours each year, and reserved particular praise for our engagement with the local community. A great honour, in which every watchkeeper has taken considerable pride.

The watchkeepers at Fleetwood were surprised and delighted to find that they had been chosen as a BBC ‘Coastal Champion’, resulting in a national TV appearance on the Breakfast Show. The nomination had been made by our good friend, Carol, who is a regular visitor along the promenade and beach at Rossall. Carol, who has mobility problems, is accompanied by her faithful support dog, Charlie, who is trained to fetch help from the watchkeepers if she is in difficulty. Carol made the nomination as a ‘thank you’ to the volunteers who keep watch over her and other users of the coast – a gesture which was hugely appreciated by all of the station’s watchkeepers.