by John Prince
THE first-ever Water Safety Weekend in Hornsea has made its striking debut, showcasing the vital work of the region’s emergency and coastal protection teams, while driving home the messages that keep people safe on the coast.
Organised by the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) Hornsea, the three-day event set out its stall with a clear focus on awareness, preparedness and community involvement, with plenty of family-friendly fun thrown in.
Floral Hall became the hub of the operation, with visitors drifting between live demonstrations, hands-on displays and conversations with the people who step in when incidents unfold along the coast – the ones who are usually glimpsed only in moments of crisis.
Representatives from NCI Hornsea, HM Coastguard, RNLI, Hornsea Inshore Rescue, police, fire and ambulance services, bomb disposal teams and St John and Yorkshire Air Ambulance all came together under one roof in the hall, and out on the promenade.
Wildlife preservation groups, charities, council organisations and many others also came to meet the public, offer practical advice and explain the challenges of protecting a coastline as dynamic and varied as ours.
Organiser Andy Hill from NCI Hornsea said: “We talked about it last year. I wanted to make people understand how dangerous the coast can be. At the same time, you have to have fun with it without getting into difficulties.
“A lot of times people don’t realise that they can easily get cut off by tides, or they’re under cliffs and rocks that are falling, or they’re drifting out into the sea.
“Bringing everyone together like this, people learn a lot of different things. There are so many agencies involved and the NCI is a very small piece of it. If we see incidents we will alert the relevant rescue teams so they can assist.
“We are the eyes and ears of the coast. We assist and we are proactive and on watch 365 days a year.
“We’ve laid the foundations for this year at this event. I think next year we’ll be fine-tuning it, and maybe making it a little bit more next time. We welcome any suggestions and hopefully get some positive feedback.”
Graham Danby, events organiser for NCI Hornsea, said: “It’s the first weekend we’ve ever done anything like this, so we’re going to learn from it. We’re going to have a debrief, and see what we can do better, and how we can change things.
“We’re interested to hear from people to see if there are any suggestions on how we can make it bigger and better. The people we’ve dealt with have all been absolutely fantastic. They’ve shown how different teams interact really well.
“I think we can only go from strength to strength. It’s been very, very positive from everyone involved.”
Probably the most anticipated event of the weekend was an aerobatic display that had remained uncertain due to weather conditions, but was finally confirmed on Sunday afternoon.
Pilot Tom Cassells had taken off from Wombleton near Selby in his Extra NG plane, and flew along the seafront to perform stunts in front of the excited crowd on the promenade.
Tom, who is 71 and is a multi-award-winning aerobatics pilot, performed a series of stunning rolls, climbs and banks, and a breathtaking mid-air hover.
All this was done while trailing smoke behind the £500,000 aircraft, which is one of the most advanced aerobatic planes in the world.
After returning to base, he radioed back to see if the people who came to see the display had enjoyed the show.
The answer was a resounding “yes”.
Tom said: “I love to fly, and love it that people enjoy the spectacle. It’s a pleasant feeling to display to people, and I like to see them getting a bit of pleasure from it.
“I’ve flown all over the world – in Australia, the USA, Europe and China – but it’s special when I’m in Yorkshire.
“I’ve got a new plane on the way this year, so I’m looking forward to flying that soon.
“People have said they think it’s a model aeroplane, but it’s definitely me up there. The plane looks unstable if that makes sense, but that’s why I can do all the manoeuvres.”
Earlier in the day, Hugh Bethell, Deputy Lieutenant of East Yorkshire, came with his family, and spent time meeting volunteers and speaking with the various agencies and organisations involved.
His visit added a formal note to a weekend that unfolded with a busy, yet calm and community-focused atmosphere.
Mr Bethell said: “It’s a wonderful coastline but there are dangers and that’s why you need all these things. Most of them are voluntary.
“It’s important that we support them and encourage them. It’s vital to educate people about the dangers of the sea.
“I know partly from personal experience, as my grandchildren go to Mappleton quite a lot. I didn’t realise that tide came in so far, and you can easily get stuck there. So they now know to watch out for it and go when it’s low tide.
“It’s a terrific day, and it seems to be very well supported. I think they’re all doing a great job.”
By the close of Sunday, after a set by vocal group the Hornsea Shanty Lasses, the NCI team took to the stage at Floral Hall to announce the winner of a raffle and thank everyone who had attended, celebrating what was an incredible inaugural weekend.
They now hope it will become an annual event in Hornsea’s calendar.
Everyone who came along went away with the important message that coastal and water safety and preservation is very much a shared responsibility, and that the town is very willing to engage with it.