Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade

18/06/2026

We’re having a great Drowning Prevention Week as we visit lots of local schools to share key Water Safety messages.

Across the past few days we’ve been to Backworth Park Primary School, Beacon Hill School, Coquet Park First School, Norham High School, Riverside Primary School & Waterville Primary School. We’ve got three more visits coming up over the next 48hrs as our volunteers work hard to speak with as many children and young adults as possible to ensure water safety is in their minds ahead of their summer adventures.

In between the visits, the callouts have continued with an incident on Tuesday morning to support Tynemouth RNLI with a dog in the River Tyne, and a false alarm with good intent tonight for three teenagers thought to be at risk of being cut off by the tide at King Edward’s Bay.

Further details on both calls are shown below:

070/26 – Tuesday 16th June 2026 – 08.55h – As some of the team prepared to deliver a water safety talk at a local school, a full team alert was sent to reports of a dog in the river near to North Shields Fish Quay, with a concern that the owner may attempt to rescue the dog. Tynemouth RNLI lifeboat was also tasked to this incident and quickly arrived on scene and recovered the dog who appeared none the worse for its adventure.

Number of Brigade members in attendance: Eight

071/26 – Thursday 18th June 2026 – 20.23h – HM Coastguard tasked the Brigade after a member of the public dialled 999 and raised concerns for the safety of three teenagers he thought may be cut off on rocks on the south side of King Edward’s Bay, underneath Tynemouth Priory. As Brigade members arrived on scene, the first informant confirmed that the trio had made it back onto the beach with no further assistance required – the call was marked down as a false alarm with good intent.

Number of Brigade members in attendance: Twelve

18/06/2026

Have you seen these yet? Photo's from the King Eddies Stairs Challenge last weekend - an absolutely brilliant event which has fundraised over £11,000 for TVLB 🙏

Huge thanks to everyone who took part, supported, sponsored or donated!

There are more photos to see on their page - please give them a like / follow to keep up with future events.

photos by John Millard

18/06/2026

Just a few days to go for our BIG summer raffle - please support if you're able to. Tickets cost £2.00 each.

Join me in supporting Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade: https://go.rallyup.com/tvlbsummer26

15/06/2026

This week is Drowning Prevention Week, a national campaign led by Royal Life Saving Society UK - RLSS UK.

This morning we had a wonderful visit to Southridge First School where we delivered a whole-school assembly to over 300 students.

This afternoon we'd just arrived at Monkhouse Primary School when we were tasked to support our colleagues south of the river with a dog that had fallen down a cliff. Thankfully, Stevie survived his adventure and was quickly reunited with his owners thanks to the hard work of the three rescue teams.

Later in the afternoon we attended the North Tyne Pier to check on the welfare of three teenagers.

We'll be out all week at schools throughout the region sharing water safety messages and showcasing some of our rescue skills and techniques.

Further information on the two incidents are shown below:

068/26 – Monday 15th June 2026 – 13.03h – As the team prepared to deliver a water safety talk at a local school, they were tasked to support South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade (SSVLB) & Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team with a report of a dog that had fallen down a cliff at Frenchman’s Bay. The teams worked together to set up Rope Rescue equipment and a Technician was lowered down the cliff to rescue the dog. Thankfully, Stevie, was none the worse for his fall and was quickly recovered back up to the cliff town and reunited with their very relieved owners.

Number of Brigade members in attendance: Six

069/26 – Monday 15th June 2026 – 18.05h – HM Coastguard tasked the Brigade after receiving a 999 call raising concern for the safety of three teenagers spotted behind the security fences on the North Tyne Pier, with waves breaking over the structure at the time. Team members arrived on scene and assisted the three in safely existing the Pier – they were issued with safety advice and then promptly left the area. The Brigade was stood down at 18.30h.

Number of Brigade members in attendance: Ten

14/06/2026

🛟 DROWNING PREVENTION WEEK 🛟

🌊 This weekend, marked the start of Drowning Prevention Week 2026 and already the team have delivered water safety education to hundreds of children in the local community.

📉 The national campaign headed by the Royal Life Saving Society UK - RLSS UK was launched over a decade ago with the aim of reducing the incidence of drowning and water-related accidents.

🗣️ This Drowning Prevention Week Brigade volunteers have committed to visiting ten schools across the borough, as well as attending various community events to deliver vital water safety education.

🛟 TVLB have a dedicated water safety team who deliver education visits year-round, but Drowning Prevention Week is optimal timing to discuss this potentially life-saving topic, just before the summer months when young people are more likely to be outdoors and when drownings are most likely to occur.

❗️Over the last five years, 3,615 people have tragically drowned in the UK and Ireland. Sadly, incidents in our local area have contributed to this staggering figure so the Brigade’s water safety education work is more important than ever.

📢 You can support Drowning Prevention Week and the work of our team by sharing our water safety messages and updates far and wide - look out for regular updates this week.

📧 If you would like further information on the Brigades water safety education work, please email the team on [email protected]

12/06/2026

TVLB have responded to three calls across the past 48 hours.

Two of these occurred on Wednesday evening during our weekly training session - this included a false alarm with good intent and the rescue of a man in a wheelchair which was stuck on a rock with the incoming tide starting to rise around him.

Yesterday morning we assisted the crew of a Coastguard Rescue Helicopter at a landing site in Newcastle.

Further details on these calls are shown below:

065/26 – Wednesday 10th June 2026 – 20.22h – During the weekly training session, as the team practiced responding to a multi-casualty incident on the rocks to the south of Cullercoats, HM Coastguard tasked them to check on the welfare of a paddleboarder near Browns Bay who was thought to possibly be in need of assistance. Three of the team took one of our Rescue Vehicles to the next Bay and quickly confirmed that there was no one in need of assistance.

Number of Brigade members in attendance: 17

066/26 – Wednesday 10th June 2026 – 20.35h – As the above call concluded, HM Coastguard re-tasked the Brigade to go to the aid of a man in a wheelchair who reported his chair as being stuck on a rock at the waters edge at Whitley Bay, with the tide rising around him. Tynemouth RNLI lifeboat, who were on exercise at sea at the time, were also tasked to this incident.
Brigade members quickly arrived at Whitley Bay and, working together as one big group, were able to lift the casualty and wheelchair from the rocks and to a place of safety. After a quick welfare check, the casualty left the area and the team was stood down.

Number of Brigade members in attendance: 17

067/26 – Thursday 11th June 2026 – 07.30h – HM Coastguard tasked the Brigade to proceed to the Richardson Road Helicopter Landing Site in Newcastle where the Coastguard Rescue Helicopter from Prestwick Airport was due to land. Team members made their way to the landing site and arrived to support crews from the North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust and officers from Northumbria Police in transferring one casualty from the Helicopter to an ambulance.

Number of Brigade members in attendance: Six

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....

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

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

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.