York Rescue Boat

29/05/2026

An important message from North Yorkshire Police!
Please keep your children safe - there has been too many fatalities this half term with the warmer weather 🛟

Remember if you see someone in trouble - call 999 immediately 📞

⚠️ URGENT SAFETY WARNING – WEST HADDLESEY LOCK⚠️

West Haddlesey Lock nr Selby

We are dealing with an extremely dangerous and ongoing situation where children are jumping into the lock from height, surrounded by hard stone walls, in an operational waterway managed by the Canal & River Trust.

✖️ This is not a swimming spot. This is not safe.✖️

Children have already been reported falling ill after entering the water. Please look out for symptoms of diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and flu-like symptoms if you suspect your child has been wild swimming and seek appropriate medical care/advice.

The lock walls are solid – a fall or collision could be fatal.

This is a working lock – water levels and conditions can change without warning.

❓ What are we doing?
Regular high visibility patrols of the area.
Several dispersal orders have been issued in this area.
Working alongside other agencies - The lock is privately owned by the Canal and Rivers Trust and anyone on site other than for legitimate use of the lock is trespassing.

❓ How can you help?
⛔ PLEASE – do NOT drop your children off in this area. Do not assume it's okay because other children are there.
If you see children at this location, please call 999 if there is immediate danger, or 101.

11 people have tragically lost their lives in water-related incidents across the country in recent weeks.

Please help us keep your children safe this summer.
Share this post.
Show it to your children.

27/05/2026

As temperatures rise, we want to remind everyone about the very real dangers of open water.

Over the last few days there have sadly been multiple fatalities linked to open water swimming across the country. Rivers, lakes and other open water environments can appear calm and inviting, but hidden dangers such as cold water shock, strong currents, underwater hazards and sudden changes in depth can quickly turn a situation into an emergency.

Warmer weather often means more people gathering by rivers and waterways, and it only takes a moment for an accident to happen.

If you see someone in trouble in the water, remember:

📞 Phone – Call 999 immediately and ask for the Coastguard if at the coast, or Fire and Rescue for inland water incidents.

🛟 Float – Encourage the person to float on their back to help them control their breathing and stay calm.

🪢 Throw – Throw something that floats to them such as a throw line, life ring or any floating object. Do not enter the water yourself unless trained to do so.

Please enjoy the water safely and help us spread this message. A simple reminder can save a life.

26/05/2026

Please don’t forget, the photo gallery from the Gala 2026 will close on Monday 1 June.

If you haven’t bought your photos yet, now is the time to!

And with 50% of proceeds coming to York Rescue Boat, you’re not only buying a memory of the night, you’re continuing to help us educate, prevent and rescue 💙🧡

Tony Dale Photography Wedding and Dance photographer. Festival, Shows

23/05/2026

☀️🌊 With warm weather expected this Bank Holiday weekend, more people will be heading to rivers and waterways to cool off.

Remember: Float to Live.

Cold water shock can affect anyone, no matter how strong a swimmer you are.

If you end up in the water unexpectedly:
✅ Tilt your head back
✅ Relax and control your breathing
✅ Move your hands and legs gently
✅ Call for help or swim to safety

Enjoy the sunshine and stay safe around the water.

22/05/2026

If you’re heading out on or near the water this Bank Holiday weekend, remember one simple message that could save your life: Float to Live.

If you find yourself unexpectedly in the water:

✅ Tilt your head back with your ears submerged
✅ Relax and try to control your breathing
✅ Move your hands and legs gently to help you stay afloat
✅ Once your breathing is under control, call for help or swim to safety if you can

Cold water shock can affect anyone, no matter how strong a swimmer you are.

Enjoy the weekend, stay safe around rivers and waterways, and look after each other.

15/05/2026

What. A. Night! 🧡💙

The YRB 2026 Gala truly went off with a bang last Saturday, and we’re still buzzing from the incredible support. From those who helped on the night; donated their time; bought tickets; offered services, and contributed to the amazing prizes—thank you all!

With over 250 prizes up for grabs, there are simply too many to list—but you know who you are, and we’re so grateful 🥰

A huge thank you to our fantastic partners who helped make the evening so special:
✨ The Milner York for their wonderful food and service
✨ Mrs Bouquet & Riverbendflowersyork for the stunning floral displays and illuminated centrepieces
✨ Kym Sings for the beautiful drinks reception entertainment
✨ The Swamp Doggs for keeping the dance floor full all night
✨ Adrian Salamon Magic for dazzling us with his incredible magic
✨ Ben Fry YorkMix for hosting the evening so brilliantly

And of course, Tony Dale for the photos…the gallery is now LIVE! 📸
Don’t forget, 50% of every image purchased goes directly to the charity, so please keep supporting us. View your photos here👇

https://tony-dale.smugmug.com/COMMERCIALCONFERENCES/York-Rescue-Charity-event-2026

We’d also like to give a massive shoutout to SEP Rail for sponsoring the evening’s entertainment, and Yorkshire Profiles Ltd for their Gold Package Sponsorship. Your support means the world to us.

And finally… thanks to all of you, we raised an incredible £16,668!!! 🎉

We truly couldn’t do this without you. Thank you 💙🧡

Tony Dale Photography Wedding and Dance photographer. Festival, Shows

14/05/2026

🚣‍♀️ The York Dragon Boat Race is almost here! 🚣‍♂️

We’re thrilled to share that the Onebright paddlers will be taking on the river in support of York Rescue Boat and Place2Be 💙

Every paddle stroke helps raise vital funds to support the lifesaving work we do on the River Ouse, alongside the incredible mental health support provided by Place2Be for children and young people.

If you’re coming along to cheer on the teams, keep an eye out for the Onebright crew and give them plenty of support from the riverbank! 👏

You can help make a difference too — please support the team by clicking the link below to donate and help us continue our vital work.

Thank you to everyone involved, and best of luck to all the racers taking part in this year’s York Dragon Boat Race!

https://yorkrotary.enthuse.com/pf/the-onebright-paddlers

This is our third year taking part in this fantastic event which raises funds for some wonderful charities. Our chosen charities this time round are York Rescue Boat and Place2Be. York Rescue Boat is

12/05/2026

A huge congratulations to our 21 newest operational crew members who have successfully completed their training and are now ready to serve the community as part of the York Rescue Boat family 🚤👏

Their dedication, commitment, and countless hours of hard work have been outstanding, and we’re incredibly proud to welcome them onto the operational team.

We would also like to say a massive thank you to Portakabin for their incredibly generous donation. Their support has enabled us to fully kit out all of our new crew with the essential equipment they need to operate safely and effectively.

Here are some of our new crew members proudly showcasing their brand new uniforms 💙

Partnerships and community support like this make a real difference and help us continue saving lives on the River Ouse and Foss.

Thank you, Portakabin - and welcome aboard to our new crew members!

06/05/2026

We are deeply saddened to hear of the tragic loss of two volunteers from Marine Rescue NSW during a call-out this week.

Our thoughts are with their families, friends, and colleagues, as well as the wider Marine Rescue NSW community at this incredibly difficult time. The loss is a stark reminder of the risks faced by those who volunteer to protect others on the water.

Through our connection with SLSGB, and with two of our volunteers having had the privilege of meeting members of Marine Rescue NSW, this loss feels particularly close to the wider rescue community. It reinforces the shared purpose and risks that unite organisations like ours across the world.

From all of us at York Rescue Boat, we extend our sincere condolences and stand in solidarity with our colleagues in Ballina and across the wider rescue community.

05/05/2026

😮‍💨 It’s been a busy Bank Holiday weekend for our crew, who responded to several incidents across the city and beyond!

Saturday’s incidents:

At 20:54, we were requested by the Fire Service following reports of a person possibly on either Lendal Bridge or Scarborough Bridge. The crew launched our lifeboat, Jorvik Spirit, and carried out extensive searches of the area. With nothing found, we were stood down at 21:04.

At 21:44, we were called to a concern for safety near Scarborough Bridge. The boat crew attended and located the casualty, who was left in the care of the ambulance service at 22:16.

🚨Callout 18/2026 – Concern for Safety (Monday)
We were called by the Fire Service to reports of a person on the wrong side of Millennium Bridge. Boat and foot teams attended the scene and were later stood down, with the casualty left in the care of emergency services.

🚨Callout 19/2026 – Missing Person (Monday)
At 11:51, we were requested by North Yorkshire Police to assist with searches for a missing person in the Selby area. While en route, we were stood down as the person was located safe and well a short time later.

💙 Thank you to our volunteers for their continued commitment, and to our partner emergency services for their support.

If you’d like to support the work we do, please consider donating, sharing our posts, or getting involved as a volunteer. Your support helps us remain ready to respond, 24/7. 🛟

www.yorkrescueboat.org.uk