Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade

Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade (TVLB) is a voluntary shore-based coastal rescue service. TVLB operates as a charity.

We are the declared facility to HM Coastguard in North Tyneside, operating in rope, search, water rescue and first aid 24-7 365 days of the year

Founded in 1864 we are one of the last remaining trained teams for Ship to Shore Breeches Buoy Rescue. Operating from our Watch House Museum in Tynemouth on the North East coast of England, we work closely with other emergency services depending on need

and type of rescue. The Watch House Museum is free to visit on Bank Holidays and weekends from Easter until the end of August. In recent years the Brigade has averaged over 150 callouts a year and these range from monitoring and gathering information to providing first aid in coastal locations and recovering cliff casualties. All donations and support are gratefully received.

🎟️ SUMMER RAFFLE 🎟️We're excited to launch our BIG summer raffle, which we're also running in conjunction with the King ...
09/06/2026

🎟️ SUMMER RAFFLE 🎟️

We're excited to launch our BIG summer raffle, which we're also running in conjunction with the King Eddies Stairs Challenge - taking place this Saturday.

We have had some really generous prizes donated by MANY of the fantastic independent shops, cafes and restaurants in the local area - there are over 50 prizes available to win!

🙏 THANK YOU to all those who have donated - we are very grateful

We also have had a donation from The Prodigy for 2 tickets to their Dance Warriors event in Edinburgh on 29th August which also features special guests Carl Cox ,¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U, Scarlxrd and David Rodigan 🤘

👉 Entries are £2 a ticket - full details of all prizes and how to enter are online

🔗 link is in the comments :-)

⭐️ Please share with your friends, family and other networks so we can hopefully smash our fundraising target

🍀 Good Luck from all of us at Team TVLB

Thanks to:
The Prodigy, Riley's Fish Shack, Custer Print & Embroidery, Steam & Salt , Tynemouth Surf Co Lyon, Sharon Lee, Shore Yoga, Yonder The Deli Around The Corner, Phils Plaice, Nicholson Butchers Joanne Wishart - Artist, Curves Fitness, Sanctuary House, Cullercoats Deli Priory Post Office, Hotel Chocolat, Anne Thomas Workwear, Beem Beauty, SK Escape, Crusoe's Tynemouth Longsands Surf School Regular Jo's Tynemouth Surf Co, Gareth James Chocolatier, Tynemouth 61, Artichoke Tynemouth, KORK Wine and Deli, The Sustenance Society, Alev's, To the moon and back, Lola Jeans Tynemouth The Cove Tynemouth, Allard's Longsands Fish Kitchen Head on Hairdressers, Due North, Ruby and Frank Woods Coffee....

064/26 – Saturday 6th June 2026 – 19.20h – The Brigade was requested by HM Coastguard to check on the welfare of two pad...
06/06/2026

064/26 – Saturday 6th June 2026 – 19.20h – The Brigade was requested by HM Coastguard to check on the welfare of two paddleboarders near to Cullercoats Bay who a member of the public had raised concerns for. As team members headed to the location, the Coastguard received an update that the pair required no assistance and the call was marked as a false alarm with good intent.

Number of Brigade members in attendance: 10

Yesterday the team attended two incidents during the afternoonThe first was to support the Police with a call at Tynemou...
06/06/2026

Yesterday the team attended two incidents during the afternoon

The first was to support the Police with a call at Tynemouth Longsands, with the second being logged a false alarm with good intent for a report of people possibly in difficulty on the causeway leading to St. Mary’s Lighthouse. Further details on both calls are shown below:

062/26 – Friday 5th June 2026 – 15.01h – HM Coastguard tasked the Brigade to support RNLI Lifeguards Tyne & Wear and Northumbria Police with an incident at Tynemouth Longsands. Team members volunteers for around 30 minutes with one casualty brought to a place of safety and passed into the care of the North East Ambulance Service.

Number of Brigade members in attendance: Eight

063/26 – Friday 5th June 2026 – 18.23h – Later in the day around tea time, the Coastguard re-tasked the Brigade to attend the causeway leading to St. Mary’s Lighthouse due to concern for the safety of members of the public who were thought to be attempting to wade across at a time when the tide was incoming. Team members quickly arrived on scene and confirmed that four members of the public had safely returned to the mainland and then left the area. Once it was confirmed no one remained in the water, the team was stood down.

Number of Brigade members in attendance: 11

Volunteers’ Week 2026Since 1864, volunteering has been at the heart of the TVLB – it’s even in our name: Volunteer.Every...
06/06/2026

Volunteers’ Week 2026

Since 1864, volunteering has been at the heart of the TVLB – it’s even in our name: Volunteer.

Every single person involved with TVLB is a volunteer, giving their time, skills and dedication to keep our organisation running and serving our community.

🔹 Our Watch House Team care for our historic Watch House, its artefacts and our listed building, preserving our heritage for future generations.

🔹 Our Water Safety Team work with local schools and community groups, delivering vital education about the dangers of water and how to stay safe around it, helping to prevent incidents before they happen.

🔹 Our Museum Volunteers welcome visitors every weekend from April to September, bringing our rich history to life through their knowledge and enthusiasm.

🔹 Our Directors work behind the scenes to manage the administration, finances and day-to-day running of the Brigade.

🔹 Our Support Team assist with equipment, fundraising and often step in as casualties during training exercises to help our team develop and maintain their skills.

🔹 Our Rescue Team stand ready 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, responding to call-outs whenever they are needed.

Since 1864, every member of TVLB has been a volunteer. Working around their regular jobs, families and commitments.
Together, they continue a tradition of service that has existed for more than 160 years.

During Volunteers’ Week, we’d like to say a huge thank you to every one of our volunteers, past and present. Your commitment, passion and dedication make everything we do possible.

Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade (TVLB) attended a record 28 callouts during the past month. This was considerably highe...
02/06/2026

Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade (TVLB) attended a record 28 callouts during the past month.

This was considerably higher than our previous record of 18 calls for the month of May, achieved in both 2024 & 2025.

21 of the calls occurred during the second half of the month (between 16th-31st May), as the warm weather significantly increased the number of people visiting the coast.

The calls included:
- Providing first aid to several casualties including a man who was suspected to have broken both his ankles after jumping off the old swimming pool at Tynemouth Longsands; and a student who had suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder after being hit by a wave.
- 11 calls to support other services with people in crisis.
- Eight incidents where the casualties were thought to be intoxicated and in need of assistance – the majority of these incidents involved children.
- Three incidents involving swimmers in difficulty in the sea who required assistance from a combination of the Brigade and the RNLI (including both their Lifeguards and Lifeboat crews).

The rate of calls at the end of the month, especially over the bank holiday weekend, put a significant pressure on our Rescue Team and we’re extremely proud of our 20 volunteers who ensure our services are always available when called upon. Some of the incidents were avoidable with a greater understanding of the risks posed by our coastline, and steps that can be taken to mitigate these, and also avoiding taking excessive amounts of alcohol.

If you do see someone in difficulty at the coastline please remember to dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

061/26 – Sunday 31st May 2026 – 00.34h – HM Coastguard tasked the Brigade, Blyth Coastguard Rescue Team & Cullercoats RN...
31/05/2026

061/26 – Sunday 31st May 2026 – 00.34h – HM Coastguard tasked the Brigade, Blyth Coastguard Rescue Team & Cullercoats RNLI to support Northumbria Police in locating a person in crisis in the Tynemouth area. The casualty was quickly located, and the team then stood by as the casualty was taken to a place of safety. All rescue units were stood down around 01.15h.

Number of Brigade members in attendance: Six

Today the team have attended two callouts.This morning we were part of a multi-agency response to a person in crisis in ...
28/05/2026

Today the team have attended two callouts.

This morning we were part of a multi-agency response to a person in crisis in the Tynemouth area; this afternoon we supported RNLI Lifeguards Tyne & Wear with a casualty with a suspected shoulder injury.

After a brief lull in incidents yesterday, we've now had 20 calls in 13 days.

Please remember to dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard if you need assistance or if you see someone in difficulty at the coast.

Further details are today's incidents are as follows:

059/26 – Thursday 28th May 2026 – 09.17h – HM Coastguard tasked the Brigade & Blyth Coastguard Rescue Team to support Northumbria Police with an incident in Tynemouth. Team members were on scene for around 50 minutes before one casualty was recovered to a place of safety and taken into care by other services. In addition to the Brigade, the North East Ambulance Service and Tyne & Wear Fire & Rescue Service were also present.

Number of Brigade members in attendance: Ten

060/26 – Thursday 28th May 2026 – 17.04h – Later in the afternoon, RNLI Lifeguards Tyne & Wear at King Edward’s Bay requested assistance with providing casualty care to an 18 year-old who had suffered a possible dislocated shoulder after being hit by a wave. Team members provided additional casualty care and then moved the man to a location where he could be passed into the care of a crew from the North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust. We wish him a speedy recovery from his injury.

Number of Brigade members in attendance: Eight

⛑️Team Training⛑️One of our technical rescue skills is ‘L&MPS’ - Lost & Missing Persons Search.The team is very fortunat...
27/05/2026

⛑️Team Training⛑️

One of our technical rescue skills is ‘L&MPS’ - Lost & Missing Persons Search.
The team is very fortunate to have Harry, our trainer who once a month organises a team training or practice session focusing on this discipline.

Typical scenarios will mimic what we may face on a callout - so looking for a missing person in the coastal area.

Tonight things were a little different with the group split into four and each handed en envelope with a set of instructions inside. Over the next hour the groups headed off to three different locations and carried out various skills such as checking grid reference, bearings and looking around the area to find out information.

As is typical when a more competitive edge is added to training, there was the level of deceit and bending of the rules you would expect from your loyal Brigade Members.

A big thanks to the members of the public who joined in (especially the lads on Ropery Stairs) and the staff at Low Lights Tavern & Oswin’s (The Tynemouth Castle Inn) who had to put up with the same questions several times!

Despite some attempted tricks and short cuts, the winners were actually the team that took the longest and made sure they had all the facts correct - a great lesson to us all!

After a very testing few days of callouts, a more lighthearted, but still informative and useful session was much appreciated by the team. A big thanks to Harry for his organisational and planning skills.

TVLB attend two calls this afternoon taking our total to 17 across the past 11 days.At 2pm the team was tasked to suppor...
26/05/2026

TVLB attend two calls this afternoon taking our total to 17 across the past 11 days.

At 2pm the team was tasked to support Cullercoats RNLI as they investigated an object at sea off Whitley Bay. This was quickly confirmed to be nothing untoward.

Later in the afternoon, an urgent call was received for a person in the water at Tynemouth Haven. Thankfully, the casualty was able to make it back to some nearby rocks and then received first aid from the TVLB.
The gentleman had been attempting to use a paddlebaord but was under the influence of alcohol, was not wearing any form of flotation device and could not swim.
He was extremely fortunate to have made it back to the rocks when he did.

Please do not take part in water based activities when drinking - doing so significantly increases the risk of a serious or fatal incident.

Further information on the two calls this afternoon are shown below:

057/26 – Tuesday 26th May 2026 – 14.00h – HM Coastguard tasked the Brigade & Cullercoats RNLI after RNLI Lifeguards Tyne & Wear at Whitley Bay identified what they thought may be two swimmers in need of assistance off the middle of their beach. The Lifeboat quickly arrived on scene and confirmed that the ‘people’ were in fact markers used to identify the location of lobster pots. The call was marked as a false alarm with good intent.

Number of Brigade members in attendance: 11

058/26 – Tuesday 26th May 2026 – 16.55h – HM Coastguard tasked the Brigade & Tynemouth RNLI lifeboat after a 999 call reported a person in the water at Tynemouth Haven and in need of assistance. Team members quickly arrived on scene to find that a man, who could not swim, had tried to use a paddleboard after launching from the Haven. Unfortunately, he had not been able to stay on the paddleboard, falling into the river, and then got into difficulty. Fortunately, he was able to make it to nearby rocks.
Brigade members assisted the man off the rocks and then carried out a full casualty assessment. As the man said that he had taken on some water, and as he had consumed a large amount of alcohol earlier in the afternoon, an ambulance was requested.
A short time later, the man was passed into the care of the Ambulance Service to receive further assessment and treatment.

Number of Brigade members in attendance: 13

Rescue Team attend six calls in six hoursThis afternoon the team attended six incidents, taking our total for May to 23 ...
25/05/2026

Rescue Team attend six calls in six hours

This afternoon the team attended six incidents, taking our total for May to 23 - a new record for this month of the year (the previous high of 18 having been achieved in both 2024 & 2025).

The calls included:
- assisting Beach Lifeguards with locating a missing child at Whitley Bay Beach.
- assisting Beach Lifeguards with extricating a 52 year-old who had suffered suspected breaks to both of his ankles.
- assisting the Ambulance Service with three separate incidents involving 15 year-olds who were thought to be heavily intoxicated and becoming unwell.
- carrying out a welfare check on the beach and rocks at the southern end of Tynemouth Longsands.

A big thanks to our colleagues RNLI Lifeguards Tyne & Wear, North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust & Northumbria Police who have all endured extremely busy and challenging conditions when protecting and safeguarding the public throughout the day.
We're aware the scenes we faced were replicated up and down the coastline so a big well done to all the teams involved, and our colleagues coordinating the response, Humber Coastguard.

A final word for our fifteen amazing volunteers who attended at least one of the calls today - conditions were hot and the coastline was extremely busy and, at times, rather intimidating.

Please consider supporting our team with a small donation - link is in the comments

Further details on the incidents are shown below:

051/26 – Monday 25th May 2026 – 14.15h – As the team carried out a coastal patrol, RNLI Beach Lifeguards based at Whitley Bay beach requested assistance. While assisting with two minor first aid requests, the Lifeguards were also searching for a 4 year-old girl who been missing for around 10 minutes. HM Coastguard authorised the Brigade to assist the Lifeguards and team members were on scene for around 10 minutes as the two casualties received treatment for their minor injuries and the missing child was thankfully located safe and well. With those three situations addressed, the Lifeguards resumed patrolling the beach.

Number of Brigade members in attendance: Six

052/26 – Monday 25th May 2026 – 17.05h – A few hours later, RNLI Beach Lifeguards at Tynemouth Longsands contacted HM Coastguard and requested assistance with caring for a 52 year-old man who had suffered breaks to both of his ankles. Team members arrived on scene and provided casualty care alongside a Lifeguard. Once the team had completed incident 53/2026, and with more team members available, a stretcher was then used to carry the man around 400 metres off the beach and to an awaiting car where he was able to make his own way to hospital.
The casualty explained that he had jumped from the old swimming pool onto the beach, a height of around 20 foot, earlier in the day, and had been in some discomfort since. We wish him a speedy and successful recovery from his injuries.

Number of Brigade members in attendance: 13

053/26 – Monday 25th May 2026 – 17.15h – As team members utilised the second rescue vehicle to get to incident 52/2026, they were flagged down by a member of the public near to the former Boardwalk area of Tynemouth Longsands and made aware of a 15 year-old who was thought to be heavily intoxicated. Team members provided initial casualty care and made contact with the casualty’s grandparents who promptly arrived at the scene and then took the teenager home.

Number of Brigade members in attendance: 13

054/26 – Monday 25th May 2026 – 18.00h – Just as team members prepared to leave Tynemouth Longsands after the previous two incidents, an ambulance from the North East Ambulance Service arrived and the crew said they were trying to locate a 15 year-old who was thought to be unconscious and heavily intoxicated. It was quickly established that this was a separate casualty to incident 53/2026 and the team made their way back to the former Boardwalk area where the new casualty was located. After treatment from paramedics, the casualty was walked off the beach and passed into the care of the Ambulance Service.

Number of Brigade members in attendance: 12

055/26 – Monday 25th May 2026 – 18.05h – While supporting the Ambulance Service with treatment for the casualty from incident 54/2026, members were made aware of another 15 year-old who was heavily intoxicated and in need of assistance. Team members cared for the casualty, who was very upset, before arranging for an adult relative to arrive and take the casualty home.

Number of Brigade members in attendance: 12

056/26 – Monday 25th May 2026 – 20.17h – Shortly after returning to their respective homes, Brigade members were tasked back to Tynemouth Longsands. Officers from Northumbria Police and units from the North East Ambulance Service were on scene dealing with multiple incidents and concern had been raised that a group of intoxicated teenagers may have been entering the water. Team members carried out a thorough search of the water line from the middle of the beach round to King Edward’s Bay and found no one in need of assistance. With the other services content that no further assistance was required, HM Coastguard stood the Brigade down at around 20.45h.

Number of Brigade members in attendance: 11

Address

The Watch House
Tynemouth
NE304

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 3pm
Friday 10am - 3pm
Saturday 10am - 3pm
Sunday 10am - 3pm

Telephone

+447745290053

Website

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