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The Surf Life Saving movement in the United Kingdom was instigated through a chance meeting in 1951 when Alan Kennedy met fellow Australians who had returned from war service in Cornwall, and who enthused about the surf, particularly at Bude. This information was the start of Alan's journey to Bude. Upon leaving Australia in August 1951, an assurance was given to Judge Sir Adrian Carlewis (Australian National President) by Mr Kennedy, that all endeavours possible to develop surfing and surf life saving overseas would be made and a visit to Bude would be arranged as soon as possible. This first visit to Bude was made on 1st May 1952 and to quote from Alan's biography...."What a surf and a place for surfing." After meeting with the then Harbour master and local lifeguards, a full report was returned to Australia stating that to develop surf life saving in the U.K. it would be necessary to have a reel, line and belt and a surf ski. This information aroused much interest in Australia, and one Aussie, 'Sprint' Walker visited Bude on his way through Europe to the Helsinki Olympic Games. On his return home he too enthused about the prospects of spreading the 'word' to Europe and the requested equipment was despatched to arrive in London in late 1952. After further visits to Bude and meetings with Town Council officials, enough interest was shown and the equipment was forwarded to Bude by rail on 1st August 1953. On Sunday 2nd August 1953 members of Bude Youth Club and others received the first instructions in Australian surf life saving methods. These instructions resulted in two squads of eleven members gaining the Surf Bronze Medallions of the Australian Association on the 8th & 9th August. On the evening of 9th August it was moved and recommended the foundation of the Bude Surf Life Saving Club and on 10th August a cable was forwarded to Australia S.L.S.A. with the results of the examinations, and the Bude club was born. Today, Bude Surf Life Saving club has logged well over a thousand rescues and numerous more preventative actions. The club patrols Crooklets Beach from late May to Mid September each season as well as providing training for most of the professional life guards in the North Cornwall area. Bude S.L.S.C. has moved a long way from its original headquarters beneath a wooden beach hut. Its current club house, built mainly by members, was opened in 1977 and is the equal of many palatial headquarters in Australia. Over the years Bude S.L.S.C. has always aimed for excellence in what it considers the Blue Riband event of surf life saving, the Rescue & Resuscitation (R&R). Sadly, this is a view not currently fashionable in British surf life saving. However, Bude believes the R&R combines the quintessential tenents of good life saving, ie discipline and team work. Using these two strong tenents, the Bude club has won the National Perpetual Trophy for R&R on more occasions than any other club. In fact, seven times in the last nine years of this event. The club has always competed strongly at both Junior and Senior levels, and produced many international and regional representative competitors. With the growth of the National Movement and the consequent raising of competition standards, the club has been unable to dominate competitions as it did in its infancy, but did however win the Senior Men's Aggregate Trophy at the 1991 British Championships. Crooklets Beach, although unique in its geographical proportions, is a magnet to International teams, and the club has hosted competitions against teams from South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and The United States of America. In 1966, the enthusiasm of some senior club members together with the support of others not associated with club, the Bude Surf Cadets were formed. This independent club catered for those children not old enough to register as club Junior Members, but who have an obvious affinity with the sea. They were taught to swim and given early tuition in surf life saving techniques which later proved to be of great benefit to the senior club. Having seen how successful the Bude Cadets and the Nipper movement in Australia has been in attracting youngsters in the Surf Life Saving movement, the Surf Life Saving Association of Great Britain, in 1992 launched its National Nipper movement. The Bude Cadets had a name change to Nippers and with their 100 members between the ages of 7 & 12 are now an integral part of this national movement, with its own instructors and examiners playing a leading role. Bude Surf Life Saving Club is justly proud of its record of public service. The bravery of its members throughout its history has been recognized by the receiving of many bravery awards, not least, two Queen's Medals for Brave Conduct, five Surf Life Saving Association of Great Britain Certificates of Merit (the associations highest award for bravery) and numerous Royal Humane Society Awards. Many other rescues have gone unrecognized and the club annually logs over 600 hours of patrol duties. With its well structured and active Management Committee, Non Active Ladies Support Team, the Nipper Club and strong active membership, Bude Surf Life Saving Club can look to the future with great confidence. The members of Bude S.L.S.C. past and present would like to acknowledge the support they have received in pursuing their aim of preserving life, from the R.N.L.I, H.M. Coastguards, R.A.F. Search & Rescue, The West Country Ambulance Service, St John Ambulance, Stratton Hospital and the Staff of the Medical Centre, N.C.D.C. Environmental Services Dept. Life Guards and the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary. The members would also like to express their thanks for the financial support they have received from the local authorities, the business community of the district, the voluntary service organisations and visitors to the town who have so generously donated to the funds in order that the club can maintain its rescue equipment and headquarters to the very highest standards. Finally, the Management Committee wish to place on record their appreciation to the people of Bude through whose kind disposition and generous support the Club has flourished and maintained through its history a pre-eminent position in the Surf Life Saving movement in the United Kingdom.
"History of Bude SLSC" provided by Tanky Williams, Chief Instructor, Bude SLSC | |||||
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Swanbourne Nedlands SLSC |
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