Solent Rescue has had a number of break-ins over the past few years. This is due to having an old, broken boathouse that is made of concrete sections and an asbestos corrugated roof. Next to it is our training facility, this has been vandalised during the break-ins to the point where the roof collapsed and is now completely beyond repair.

The state of the current operational buildings are not suitable for both our current vessel and the new addition to the unit (Avon Searider 5.4, kindly donated by the Warsash Maritime Academy for us to renovate and provide inshore beach rescue operations) as well as training of crew and members of the general public.

We have approached the local council to gain advice for planning permission. This has been looked at in a favourable manner. Once we have the full plans and costing then a formal application will be made.

At present we are working with STEELTEK SYSTEMS LTD who are going to support us in this large project. The unit will be a steel structure with cladding. The building will incorporate the training facility as well as offering storage for the boats and launch tractor. John Dennis, Director of SteelTek Systems Ltd said “SteelTek is proud to be associated in this project and we feel that by aiding these remarkable people in building a new secure unit for the storage of their response units and ultimately assisting them in saving lives, we must all assist by every means possible”.

John a former surf lifesaver himself in his home land of New Zealand continues with “as a former life guard and working with the same limited funds and when approached by Simon Blench I jumped at the opportunity to assist Solent Rescue. I was shocked to hear the limited funding along with the fact that everyone at the Solent Life Boat Rescue was completely voluntary”.

The new boathouse facility will be 13mtrs wide by 12mtrs deep and 3.5m to the eaves. The front will have roller doors for security. We will be blending it in as best we can with the surrounding area at Lepe Country Park within our fenced off, compound area.

The new building will be offered to the local community to use as training or meeting room. We want to promote basic sea safety and beach rescue techniques to local schools and the community living in the New Forest.

At present looking the project has been commercially priced at around £35,000.

This is for:

• Site clearance and demolition of existing buildings.
• Ground work preparation and laying concrete base.
• Supply of new building and erection.
• Internal fitting out to a very basic level.
• Water, electrics and sewerage.

If you can help us in any way whether with materials, labour or financial help then please feel free to contact us via email or 07717376052.

Sponsors for the building construction are from John Lewis PLC and SteelTek Systems Ltd.