Caister Lifeboat

05/10/2026

A fantastic donation from Norwich Classic Vehicle Club - NCVC

We were delighted to welcome 14 members of the Norwich Classic Vehicle Club to Caister Volunteer Lifeboat Service yesterday.

During their visit, the club presented us with a fantastic £1,000 donation to support our independent lifeboat service.

A huge thank you to the club and all its members for their incredible generosity and support. It is very much appreciated by our volunteers.

Thank you for helping us keep the boat afloat!

01/10/2026

Please Share. She has to be stopped. As said. It could be the Scarecrows next!

01/10/2026

30/09/2026

Congratulations to all our team. Achieved another 5* Food Hygiene. 🥳.

23/09/2026

Caister Lifeboat is looking for new volunteers to join our *Museum* team and help keep the incredible history of Caister Lifeboat alive.

No experience needed — just a friendly face and a few hours to spare.

Interested? We’d love to hear from you.

Get in touch with Lizzie Thurlow

[email protected]

20/09/2026

After all their hard work, dedication and countless hours helping to support the lifeboat, our fantastic volunteers were treated to a well earned trip out on the boat!

It was a brilliant opportunity for everyone to get out on the water, enjoy themselves and spend some time together away from their usual hard work.

A huge thank you to every one of our volunteers for everything you do. The time, effort and commitment you put in really does make a difference, and days like this are a great way to celebrate that.

01/09/2026

🕯️ Remembering Coxswain Benny Read

Today, 1st September, we remember Coxswain Benny Read, who lost his life 35 years ago today while answering the call of duty at Caister Lifeboat.

At around 13:00 on 1st September 1991, Benny was summoning his crew to launch the lifeboat. As he went to fire the maroon to alert the crew, it failed to fire and exploded, tragically claiming his life.

In an even more heartbreaking turn of events, it was later discovered that the call for the lifeboat had been a hoax.

Benny was simply doing what he had always done — answering the call and preparing to help someone in need.

35 years later, we remember Benny, his service to Caister Lifeboat, and the sacrifice he made.

🕯️ Never forgotten.

Caister Lifeboat remembers.

25/08/2026

🚨 LIFEBOAT SHOUT – 12/08/2026 🚨

Four swimmers caught in a rip current off Hemsby

At 13:24 on Wednesday 12th August, our Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) was paged to reports of four swimmers in difficulty off Hemsby, with two RNLI lifeguards already in the water assisting them.

Our crew launched at 13:33 and, while en route, were informed that two of the swimmers had managed to make it safely back to shore. Two casualties, however, remained in the water with the lifeguards.

On arrival, our crew found an adult male and a young male being assisted separately by the two lifeguards. Due to the breaking swell and the fatigue of both casualties, the lifeguards were unable to safely bring them ashore.

Our crew brought the young casualty aboard the ILB first, where he was checked over, followed shortly afterwards by the adult male. Both were suffering from the cold and were given blankets to help keep them warm.

With the breaking surf making a safe landing at Hemsby difficult, the decision was made to return both casualties to Caister. Once ashore, they were handed over to the waiting HM Coastguard mobile team.

The lifeboat returned to station at 14:20.

📸 The photograph shows our Coxswain Owen with the family the following day after the rescue at our station.

🌊 BE AWARE OF RIP CURRENTS

This incident is a reminder of just how quickly conditions in the sea can change.

Rip currents are powerful channels of water flowing away from the shore. They can pull swimmers away from the beach surprisingly quickly and can be particularly difficult to spot from the water.

If you find yourself caught in a rip current:

🛟 Stay calm and don’t panic.
🏊 Do not try to swim directly against the current towards the beach — you will tire yourself out.
↔️ Swim parallel to the shoreline until you are out of the strongest part of the current.
🌊 Once free of the current, make your way back towards the shore.
✋ If you are unable to get back safely, float, conserve your energy, raise your arm and call for help.

And if you see someone else caught in a rip, don’t put yourself in danger by entering the water after them. Alert a lifeguard or call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

A huge well done to the RNLI lifeguards who were already in the water assisting the swimmers, and to our crew for bringing the two remaining casualties safely back to shore.

Please take care in the water. A calm-looking sea can still contain powerful currents.

25/08/2026

🚤 KEEP THE BOAT AFLOAT!

Would you like to have your name permanently displayed on our All Weather Lifeboat, Annette Thurlow?

For just £25, you can make a donation to Caister Volunteer Lifeboat Service and have your name added to our lifeboat. ❤️

A big thank you to Sign Connections who have recently updated the “S” and “4”, and these are now available to see on board Annette Thurlow.

🎟️ How it works:
Simply click the link below to head straight to our website and complete the online form. Once your donation has been processed, we’ll send you a printable certificate to keep as a memento.

Every donation helps us keep the boat afloat and ready to respond when we’re needed.

👉 https://www.caisterlifeboat.org.uk/keep-the-boat-afloat

£25 could put your name on our lifeboat — and help keep her saving lives. 🌊🚤

25/08/2026

🚨 LIFEBOAT SHOUT – 04/08/2026

Overdue / Missing Swimmer

At 15:32 on Tuesday 4th August, our Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) was paged to an overdue/missing swimmer in the Caister area.

Our crew launched at 15:40 and, shortly after launching, could see that the wind farm vessel Ava Sofie, which was in the passing through area, had located the swimmer and recovered them onboard.

Our crew immediately headed towards the vessel to assist.

Fortunately, Ava Sofie had a medic onboard, who carried out a full assessment of the casualty before they were transferred to our lifeboat.

The Caister ILB then brought the casualty safely ashore, where they were met by the Coastguard team and ambulance service.

The casualty was extremely fortunate that vessel Ava Sofie was in the area and spotted them. They had been swept approximately one mile north of the location where they had entered the water with the ebbing tide, making the chances of being spotted considerably more difficult.

A huge thank you to the crew of Ava Sofie for their quick actions and assistance.