Severn Area Rescue Association - Day Out
On Sunday May 8th 2011 Chris and I spent a memorable morning with SARA. We arrived at their Beachley Headquarters just before 10am, just as they were launching lifeboats SARA 1 and SARA 3 on to the Severn. We were greeted by their Chairman, Mervyn Fleming and his team. Mervyn showed us over the extended building which 
will house a conference and training room as well as larger storage areas for the lifeboats and their gear. As a charity, they cannot take out a loan or mortgage to complete any work or indeed buy new equipment, so are dependent on contributions from the public.
We were fitted out in the “dry suits” ready for going out in SARA 1. On being asked my shoe size, I was told it would not be possible to find something small enough. The suits, which have the wellie boots built in to and looked as if they would fit someone 10 foot tall and indeed, my feet were lost in them. Very interesting actually getting the suits on as you had to push your head through a very tight rubber neck and then both hands through very close fitting rubber cuffs then the very fetching helmets too. We definitely kept our bodies dry, though the spray certainly flew whilst out on the river.
Our instructions were to follow all commands given to us and to hold on with at least one hand at all times. The two lifeboats were carrying out an exercise, first of all rescuing a casualty, “Bob”, direct on to the craft from the river and then we moved into the River Wye which was slightly calmer so that “Bob” could then be rescued again on to a stretcher which had been lowered into the River and then turned at right angles before being loaded across the two seats on which Chris and I had been sitting. “Bob” was then transferred from one lifeboat to the other. We then returned at high speed back to base! Chris said that I had a grin from ear to ear the whole time! The lifeboats were then taken off the River and hosed down until they were needed. 
These volunteers do a wonderful job and liaise with the coastguard, the fire service, police and ambulance service to ensure that we are all safe whether we are our on the River, walking in the mountains, caving or should we have the misfortune to have floods like those that affected Tewkesbury and Gloucester so badly in the recent past. SARA was the last rescue service to leave Tewkesbury.
Our experience came as a result of being given a SARA Experience Voucher following Mervyn coming to talk about the Service at the Ross & District Walking Group AGM. It was raffled to the whole group to raise funds for SARA and the draw took place on the banks of the Severn when we walked to see the Severn Bore last August. A small boy who was passing with his mother pulled out the winning ticket for us. Mervyn also gave a talk at the AGM of the North Gloucestershire Orienteering Club in November.
Gill James
