Large crowds lined Burnham-On-Sea seafront on Sunday (August 24th) when dozens of emergency services from across the West Country gathered for the town’s annual emergency services day.
Displays and demonstrations were held along Burnham seafront and on the beach with displays of hovercrafts, lifeboats, Coastguards, ambulances, fire engines and more.
The event was opened by the Town Crier Alastair Murray and was followed by a lifeboat training exercise watched by spectators on the seafront.
BARB held a naming ceremony during the day for its new hovercraft, the Memory Of Doreen, named after the person who gave the charity part of her legacy.
The ceremony was attended by Mayor Mike Facey, Rev Cheryl Hawkins and Caroline Hall, the mother of the late Lelaina Hall, who sadly died on Berrow Beach in 2002 and whose name lives on in the name of BARB’s other hovercraft, unveiled earlier this year.
Those groups present included: BARB Search and Rescue, Burnham RNLI, Burnham Coastguard, Burnham Fire Service, Avon and Somerset Police, South West Ambulance and Doc Bikes.
Other participants were RNLI Lifeguards, Avon and Somerset Search and Rescue, Somerset Civil Contingencies, Somerset Road Safety, Police Road Safety, Weston Hospice Care, Burnham Sea Cadets, Somewhere House and Devon and Somerset Air Ambulance.
Also present were Wessex 4 X 4, RNLI Shop, Classic Police Cars, Rotary Club, Vintage Fire Engines, Multiple Sclerosis, Burnham Sea Cadets, Coastwatch and Highbridge Scouts.
Displays included the RNLI on the water, BARB Search and Rescue, Monarchs Gymnastic Team, Starlight Dance Company, and Burnham and Highbridge Town Band. Organiser Roger Flower from BARB said the event had been a “great success” and thanked all those who had attended and supported the day.
