What an incredible year!

We’ve taken a breath and a look back at 2024. It’s been a 30th anniversary year of celebrations. And it’s shone a ‘dazzling’ spotlight on the quiet daily work of our charity’s amazing volunteer watchkeepers as an integral part of the UK’s world class maritime safety community,

Our Chair, Stephen Hand, said:

“It’s been an exceptional year for us as we’ve celebrated our 30th anniversary of helping to keep people safe on the coast and save lives at sea.

The highlight was of course this summer’s 30th anniversary flag relay which marked the first time all 60 of our stations took part in a single national event. All 60 NCI stations celebrated our anniversary by relaying the flag around the coast of England and Wales. It was a journey of over 2,100 miles taking just over three months. The methods of every station passing the flag to the next were wonderfully creative and varied. We witnessed journeys by foot, cycle, horse, vintage car and motorcycle, tractor, steam train, yacht, lifeboat, kayak, rowing gig, paddleboard, hovercraft, cable car and private aeroplane. With the arrival of the flag at every station a celebratory event took place supported by local organisations and our Search and Rescue partners and sponsors. All events were highly creative but, perhaps, the most extraordinary was the circus highwire act with the flag arranged by NCI Mablethorpe.

The epic journey ended at Trinity House – a fitting expression of the special relationship we enjoy with them. My thanks to all the organisations who helped with sponsorship and support in particular Trinity House and Sirius Insight and most importantly congratulations to everyone who took part in the planning and execution of the event especially to our 2,800 volunteer watchkeepers who made the memorable anniversary journey possible and visibly demonstrating the strength of our message that we are one charity – one crew.

Our work has been on national TV and widely featured in the media as well as being seen at events including an excellent showing at the Southampton Boat Show and Seawork thanks to Ian Whalley, Tom Scrimgeour and the watchkeepers who staffed our stands. We had the honour of welcoming our Royal Patron, HRH The Princess Royal, to no fewer than six of our stations. NCI watchkeepers at Cromer, Fleetwood, Worms Head, Hengistbury Head, Bembridge, and Shoreham received a huge boost to motivation and morale and significant publicity, and raised profile, in their communities. We also held a highly successful reception at Trinity House, in the presence of our Royal Patron, for 100 of our sponsors and donors, search and rescue partners and corporate supporters

We are incredibly grateful to all our generous supporters and partners from the corporate, maritime and within our local communities and I’d like to say a big thank you to you all. Without question, the dedication of our 2,800 highly trained watchkeepers is always our shining star and this year especially it’s been a dazzling source of great pride. Thank you all for your exceptional commitment and I’d like to wish everyone a safe and Happy New Year as we step in to 2025.”