Gloucestershire rescue organisation celebrates 50th anniversary

Gloucestershire's search and rescue service is celebrating 50 years of saving lives.

The Severn Area Rescue Association (Sara) first operated out of a shed, but now has a network of stations around the county.

Since 1973 it has provided vital support to HM Coastguard, police forces and other emergency services.

Volunteers are seeing a growing number of call outs, driven in part by an increase in missing people searches.

Hugh Inwood, deputy general manager of Sara's Sharpness station, said the organisation operates riverboat services all the way up to the West Midlands and towards mid-Wales.

Land rescue operations are also a big part of what it does, with teams mainly looking for missing people.

Hugh Inwood says Sara is responding to a growing number of mental-health related calls

Speaking to BBC West, Mr Inwood said: "It's an increasing problem because we have an ageing population, so we have increasing levels of dementia.

"Because of that and because of the financial situation we find ourselves in [causing] increased levels of mental health problems within the population, we find that a regular number of people decide to take themselves off into the countryside."

Sara is staffed solely by up to 200 volunteers - including 30 at Sharpness - who could be called anytime to launch a rescue operation.

Lee Davies joined Sara after seeing crews in action during a search for a close friend

Lee Davies was inspired to volunteer after a close friend drowned following a night out.

Sara found his friend's body after a three-day search operation.

"The guys were out in all weathers, it was the middle of February and the rain was coming in horizontally and they wouldn't stop until they found him," Mr Davies said.

"As it was, they found him after three days and brought some closure to us."

Since joining in 2021, Mr Davies has learned how to drive Sara's fleet of rescue boats, its launch tractor, first aid skills and flood rescue.

"I really enjoy it - sometimes we get a call out at 2am or 3am, but when you come back with the guys having done something genuinely worthwhile, it's really great," he said.

Lisa-Marie Cooke says Sara offers "a great opportunity to learn new skills and push yourself to the limit"

Lisa-Marie Cooke is one of a handful of female volunteers, and called on other women to get involved.

"When you are part of a lifeboat crew you are learning all kinds of skills and you are making friends for life," she said.

"[Women] bring a different dynamic to the team, different skills and I think with all organisations where you have that gender balance, it works really well."

'Come and join the family'

Sara always needs extra volunteers for areas, including in areas like administration and fundraising.

It has a budget of around £250,000 a year and it is always looking for new ways to raise money.

Sara started in a shed, but now has a network of stations across Gloucestershire

Mr Inwood said: "We have expensive kit, we work to very demanding operating standards which are set by the coastguard and the police.

"We have the needs for more funds now than we did in the past, because we are having to support a much larger organisation.

"If anyone wants to come and join the big family to do things that are not necessarily lifeboat related then we would very much welcome you."