Porthcawl RNLI Lifeboat

19/06/2026

Heading to the coast this weekend?

Visit a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags.

If you find yourself in difficulty in the water Float to Live:
- Tilt your head back with ears submerged
- Relax and try to control your breathing
- Use your hands to help you stay afloat
- It's okay if your legs sink, we all float differently

18/06/2026

Our volunteer crew were tasked by HM Coastguard at 11.47am today (Thursday 18 June) to assist a paddleboarder in difficulty near Newton Point.

The charity’s Atlantic 85 ‘Rose of the Shires’ was launched on service and took the paddleboarder onboard and returned them to the beach at Newton.

To support Porthcawl RNLI’s volunteer crew and help power us to our next rescue: https://fundraise.rnli.org/fundraisers/Porthcawl

In a coastal emergency dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.

📸 Stephen Jones / Porthcawl RNLI

14/06/2026

On Saturday evening (13 June) our volunteer crew were tasked by HM Coastguard to two climbers who found themselves trapped by the incoming tide at Dunraven Bay, Southerndown.

They had been spotted by watchkeepers at Porthcawl NCI who alerted HM Coastguard. Our colleagues from Llantwit Major Coastguard were also tasked to the incident and set up on the cliffs above for a potential rope rescue.

Both our Atlantic 85 and D Class lifeboats were launched to the incident with the D Class crew veering back on its anchor line in order to rescue the casualties and extract them to safety.

This call followed two others calls which had occurred at the same time in which our Atlantic 85 launched to four people in difficulty in the river mouth at Ogmore By Sea and the D Class was launched to an overdue missing swimmer at Rest Bay. Thankfully both these incidents were resolved without anyone requiring any further assistance.

During the rescue at Dunraven Bay on Saturday our volunteer crew lost a handheld VHF radio with an RNLI red float attached. If you find it, please get in touch :)

To support Porthcawl RNLI’s volunteer crew and help power us to our next rescue: https://fundraise.rnli.org/fundraisers/Porthcawl

In a coastal emergency dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.

14/06/2026

*** Lost VHF radio at Dunraven Bay, Southerndown ***

During an incident yesterday (Saturday 13 June) in which we rescued two people cut off by the tide at Dunraven Bay, our volunteer crew lost a VHF radio - the same as shown in the image.

If you happen to find the VHF radio please could you get in touch.

13/06/2026

We are delighted to share the news that Ian Stroud, Chair of Porthcawl RNLI Lifeboat Management Group has been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours and awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) after decades of dedicated service.

A stalwart of the lifesaving community in south Wales, Ian has been an RNLI volunteer for more than 34 years. Serving first as a crew member at Porthcawl between 1986 to 1992.

After retiring as sea going crew Ian was Porthcawl’s Lifeboat Press Officer for 25 years promoting real life rescue stories to raise awareness of the role of the volunteer crew, supporting fundraising and sharing safety messages.

Alongside this role, Ian was appointed Deputy Launch Authority and was responsible for authorising the launch of the station’s lifeboats.

Lifesaving has always been in Ian’s blood. He qualified as an Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) voluntary lifeguard on the beach in Porthcawl at the age of 31. Ian served as a member of Porthcawl Lifeguard Club for over 20 years, teaching lifesaving skill and then becoming an examiner.

Beyond his RNLI volunteering, Ian has played a pivotal role in the Porthcawl Christmas Morning Swim for 23 years, ensuring the event is well publicised, promoting water safety to the hundreds of participants and raising over £175,000 for charities in South Wales.

Eight RNLI volunteers and staff, including Ian have been recognised in The King’s Birthday Honours. Peter Sparks, RNLI Chief Executive says:

‘I am always astounded by the dedication of our volunteers and staff and these eight are testament to the commitment demonstrated by so many of our people.

‘Whatever their role, they are all lifesavers and the RNLI couldn’t do what we do without them powering our frontline services with passion, talent and kindness.

‘My heartfelt congratulations to these eight Honours recipients, and as we enter our peak summer season, my thanks go to the thousands of volunteers who give their time so generously to the RNLI.’

All at Porthcawl RNLI are incredibly proud of Ian on this well deserved recognition.

29/05/2026

We’ve been incredibly busy this week with multiple launches which included numerous people cut off by the tide, a multi agency search, injured casualties and paddleboarders in difficulty.

Amongst the calls we captured the sun rising as both our lifeboats launched on Thursday morning and our volunteer crew found time to clean up litter on the breakwater.

To support Porthcawl RNLI’s volunteer crew and help power us to our next rescue: https://fundraise.rnli.org/fundraisers/Porthcawl

In a coastal emergency dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.

26/05/2026

25/05/2026

An incredibly busy day for Porthcawl RNLI volunteers today.

The first call from HM Coastguard came at 9.31am to assist our colleagues from Porthcawl Coastguard with a medical evacuation and to provide pain relief to a casualty at Trecco Bay. The charity’s D Class “Hugo Missen” was launched to assist.

The next call came at 3.31pm with both the charity’s Atlantic 85 “Rose of the Shires” and D Class “Hugo Missen” launched to assist 18 people cut off by the tide at Dunraven Bay, Southerndown. Following this the lifeboats were tasked to assist 6 people with 2 paddle boards who were being swept out to sea at the Ogmore river mouth. All were recovered and dropped ashore at Ogmore Beach.

A further call came at 5.45pm to assist our colleagues from Llantwit Major Coastguard and the Welsh Ambulance Service with the extraction of an injured casualty near Monknash. Both the charity’s inshore lifeboats were launched and the casualty was transferred by lifeboat to Dunraven Bay, Southerndown.

Thank you to all our volunteers for their dedication on a very hot, sunny bank holiday Monday.

To support Porthcawl RNLI’s volunteer crew and help power us to our next rescue: https://fundraise.rnli.org/fundraisers/Porthcawl

In a coastal emergency dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.



📸 Stephen Jones / Porthcawl RNLI

25/05/2026

We're sorry to share the news there will be no RescueFest this year.

The local authority secured grant funding to cover the event costs in 2024 and 2025 but the grant funding is not available this year and as a result it is not viable for us to hold the event.

We hope to bring RescueFest back in the future if appropriate funding or sponsorship becomes available.