BRIEF HISTORY OF OUR LIFEGUARD CLUB

The Rhondda (Cold Knap) is a voluntary Lifeguard Club with its Headquarters at Cold Knap, Barry. It is affiliated to the Surf Life Saving Association of Wales (www.slsawales.org) and the Royal Life Saving Society. The Club was formed from the outdoor swimming pools in the mining community of the Rhondda in 1962. The Club was initially called the Gelli-Galed Lifeguard Club, after the pool located in the park at Ystrad.

 

The early years of existence, saw the Club without a regular base, so during Sunday’s in the summer months, they would visit many of the popular South Wales beaches to provide a voluntary beach patrol and rescue service. It was after one such visit to Cold Knap, Barry during 1966, that the then Barry District Council asked the Club if they would make Cold Knap their base. The Club started regular patrols at Cold Knap in 1967 and although being run from the Rhondda our Headquarters have been located at Cold Knap Point since then.

 

The Club changed its names to the Rhondda Lifeguard Club in 1969, reflecting the broad support in membership throughout the Rhondda and not just from the Ystrad/Pentre area, however with the improvements in VHF communication, that in itself would lead to problems, some years later.

 

Since 1967 the Club are very proud to say, that during the summer months from the end of May to the end of August, they have been found on weekends, regardless of the great British weather, performing voluntary lifeguard duties for the community and visitors of Barry. Shown below is a summary of the record of rescues for the last eleven summers. In total twenty-seven people have been saved during that period, so is there a better endorsement of the invaluable service our volunteers provide?

 

 

Like most voluntary organisations, the Club, which has always been one of the smaller Welsh Lifeguard Clubs anyway, have had its ups and downs regarding memberships. Travelling from the Rhondda on weekends was an obstacle in itself, but nevertheless the Club has survived for over forty years and is now well in the process of rebuilding its membership strength. As well as the Rhondda, we currently have members from as far a field as Chepstow, Cardiff, Bridgend and of course, many from Barry itself.

 

Finally. Over the many years of existence of the Rhondda Lifeguard Club, members in a ‘tongue-in-cheek way’, have been fed up of explaining, when asked, “Where in the Rhondda is the sea?” As mentioned earlier, with the improvements in VHF radio communication allowing direct contact from the Rescue Boats’ to Swansea Coastguard, the word ‘Rhondda’ when used in a rescue situation, was unfortunately, on too many occasions causing confusion at the MRCC (Maritime Rescue Co-ordinate Centre), Swansea. Cold Knap was therefore added into our title and is the only name used when performing voluntary patrol duties and in reporting and dealing with incidents under the direction of Swansea Coastguard.