Boat compound deal offers new opening for rescue volunteers

Hornsea Inshore Rescue, which relies on public donations to keep it afloat, will be taking over the compound, which provides berths for boaters, anglers and divers from April 1.

The compound, which has berths for 60 boats, is just a stone’s throw away from their new premises on the seafront.

Chairman Sue Hickson-Marsay said: “Obviously we want to provide a good service to the people who are there. We have to raise £35,000 to £40,000 a year to operate and the thing is you can’t just keep shaking cans. We have to find ways of being self sustainable.”

Any price increases will be decided by East Riding Council, which owns the £1m compound.

A not-for-profit company, called Hornsea Rescue Boat Launch Ltd, will be running the compound.

Vice chairman Neville Metcalf said they were hoping to reduce the price of a day launch, currently costing £25, adding: “We are just there to offer a boat launching service to people and visitors to Hornsea. Existing people who have got boats there shouldn’t see any major changes.”

HIR, which has been going for 18 years, is one of 65 independent lifeboats in the country.

Last year it responded to 98 incidents, including medical emergencies.

All crew are trained as ambulance first responders and cover a minimum 100 hours a month for Yorkshire Ambulance Service on a voluntary basis.