SARA Cotswolds

31/05/2026

Please please please… listen to the below. Highlighting the scary reality of extreme weather.

29/05/2026

HUGELY IMPORTANT INFO BELOW! Please read and spread the word. This really does save lives. 🙏

As the summer weather continues we are urging people to stay safe in and around the water

‼️In an emergency on inland waterways call 999 and ask for the Fire Service‼️

27/05/2026

A fantastic weekend of training for the future of search dog rescue 🐾

Special shoutout to our very own SARA team member Louise and her dog Cassie, who were part of the training group working hard on their journey towards becoming an operational search and rescue dog team. 👏

The dedication, time and training that goes into these partnerships is incredible — and we’re proud to see them progressing so well! ❤️🐶

18/05/2026

Call-out 15/05 & 16/05
We are all thankful for a positive outcome!

Callouts Friday / Saturday. We were called around 1930 on Friday evening by Gloucestershire Constabulary, to assist with a missing person search. SARA Sharpness were asked to conduct search of the canal west of the dock, and launched Rescue Boats 12 and 15. At that time land search teams from other stations were stood by, but not deployed. The search on Friday was called off about 2300, with nothing having been found.

Land search teams from Tewkesbury, Beachley and Cotswolds were then deployed on Saturday morning, from around 0830. They searched an area of parkland in Gloucester City Centre through until around 1400, and were again stood down with nothing having been found.

We were delighted to learn this morning from the Police that the missing person had been found safe.

Many thanks to all who responded.

Severn Area Rescue Association - Sharpness Lifeboat Station
Severn Area Rescue Association - Beachley
Severn Area Rescue Association - Tewkesbury
SARA Cotswolds

16/05/2026

🚑 Today some of our SARA volunteers are providing first aid cover for The Bolt at the beautiful Badminton Estate 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️

With 1.5K, 5K and 10K races taking place in support of Trinity C of E Primary School, it’s fantastic to see the community coming together for such a brilliant local event.

Good luck to everyone taking part today — whether you’re chasing a PB or just enjoying the course, we’ll be there to help keep you safe! 💪

13/05/2026

🚴‍♀️ WE’RE RIDING. WE’RE RESPONDING. WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT. 🚑

This June, members of our Cotswold team will be taking on the Crudwell 24 Hour “Le Mans” Bike Ride — riding through the day and night ASWELL as team members providing 24-hour first aid cover for the entire event. 💪

Every mile we ride helps raise vital funds to keep our volunteer search & rescue station operational. Your donations help fund:
🪖 Essential PPE
🚑 Vehicle maintenance
🩺 Life-saving equipment
⛰️ Training & rescue readiness

We are entirely volunteer-led and donation funded — every single pound genuinely makes a difference.

If you can support us, please donate or share this post to help us reach more people ❤️

🔗link in comments 🙏

12/05/2026

Team Training Insights - Casualty Extraction

This weekend, our team and new trainees took part in a challenging training scenario involving a hiker who had slipped whilst attempting to take a selfie, resulting in an impaled leg injury and a suspected shoulder injury in difficult terrain.

While this was only a training exercise, situations like this are becoming increasingly common. With the rise of social media and “influencer culture”, more people are putting themselves at risk to capture photos and videos in dangerous or unstable locations — often without realising how quickly things can go wrong.

Our teams regularly train for complex rescues in steep, remote and hard-to-access areas so that we are prepared when real incidents happen.

A reminder to always:
⛰️ Stay aware of your surroundings
🥾 Stick to safe ground and marked paths
⚠️ Never take unnecessary risks for a photo

05/05/2026

Our thoughts are with Marine Rescue New South Wales and all those affected by this tragedy.
A powerful reminder of the courage behind every volunteer response.

Today, we stand shoulder to shoulder with our wider search & rescue family at Marine Rescue New South Wales, following the tragic loss of two of their lifeboat crew during a rescue call overnight.

Reports confirm that a volunteer crew launched to assist a yacht in distress off Ballina, navigating what have been described as treacherous coastal bar conditions. During the response, their vessel capsized in heavy seas, resulting in the loss of two rescue volunteers alongside the casualty they were attempting to save. Four further crew members survived, many with injuries.

This is a stark and sobering reminder of the reality behind what we all do.

Like us at SARA, Marine Rescue NSW is built on volunteers. Individuals who leave their homes, families and safety behind without hesitation when the pager goes. Whether it’s the Severn Estuary or the New South Wales coastline, the fundamentals are the same: unpredictable water, rapidly changing conditions, and the constant balance between risk and rescue.

Every launch carries that risk.

Every callout asks ordinary people to step into extraordinary circumstances.

And sometimes but thankfully not often, despite training, experience, and teamwork, the environment wins.

From all of us at SARA, we send our deepest condolences to the families, friends and fellow crew members affected by this devastating loss. We also stand with the wider rescue community in recognising the courage, professionalism and selflessness shown by those involved.

Fair winds and following seas.

02/05/2026

Call-out 01/05/2026

We were called by Gloucestershire Constabulary just after 8am on Friday morning to assist with some further searches for a person missing in the Staverton area. Land and water search team members from SARA stations at Sharpness, Upton, Wyre Forest, Tewkesbury, Cotswolds and Beachley all attended, along with colleagues from Gloucestershire Cave Rescue Group.

Searches were carried out throughout the day but were suspended in the evening with nothing found. The police operation remains ongoing.

Many thanks to all who responded.

Library photo.

Severn Area Rescue Association - Beachley
Severn Area Rescue Association - Wyre Forest Station
Severn Area Rescue Association - Sharpness Lifeboat Station
Severn Area Rescue Association - Tewkesbury
Severn Area Rescue Association - Upton
SARA Cotswolds