Please support our 2026 Fundraiser

As our training season for new Watchkeepers begins to wind down for the year, we turn our attention to that other essential ingredient in keeping our station running: fundraising.

Like other Search & Rescue agencies, we receive no government funding for our work. National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) forms part of a network of professional and voluntary agencies operating around the coast of Britain helping to keep our waters safe and helping those who get into trouble or may be heading into trouble.

At NCI our job is very clear and very specific: we are here to keep a daylight watch over vulnerable vessels and people at sea and along the coast: we work closely with and support the work of HM Coastguard, the RNLI, and local Coastal Rescue Team and others. Our trained volunteers have eyes on our patch of coast (essentially, Bolt Head to Start Point) every day of the year.

Our expenses are modest but essential. We need to keep the lights on and stay warm; we need to keep a roof over our heads and be robust enough to survive very harsh conditions; we need to maintain and replace vital equipment and technology; we maintain free online services such as local weather condition updates and our East– and West-facing webcams. All of this costs us around £15,000 a year, and without your support we would be unable to continue.

Our 2026 fundraiser is running now, and has a number of elements: