NARE Point Coastwatch Station attracted potential new volunteers at a promotional day in Falmouth.

Located at the entrance to the River Helford and the local National Coastwatch Station for Falmouth, the event aimed to raise awareness of both the station and the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) on Thursday (August 8) on The Moor.

A space for the NCI's trailer was provided by Falmouth Town Council and the exhibition gave information about the national charity and the local station.

Watchkeepers, including the station manager, Don Garman, were on hand to explain the work of the station and the NCI.

Watchkeepers on duty sought to not only inform, but also to interest potential watchkeepers and to raise funds.

Despite the damp and cloudy day, Watchkeepers welcomed a steady flow of residents and visitors, including the Mayor of Falmouth, Councillor Stev Eva, and Mark Williams, Falmouth’s town clerk.

Watchkeepers from other stations in Cornwall also called by.

Two watchkeepers stationed themselves near the Falmouth Watersports Centre to gather donations and point the public in the direction of the exhibition. They also visited clubs and relevant businesses to deliver information about NCI and Nare Point.

Mr Garman said: “We were delighted to have the opportunity to showcase our voluntary work and that of the parent body during its 25th anniversary.

"We were very pleased to meet with a number of prospective watchkeepers, to explain the role of Coastwatch to the public and to raise some useful funds to help us run the station.”

The NCI celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2019 and events began in May, when Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, a patron, visited Bass Point on the Lizard – the first station to be established – and then RN Culdrose, where she met station managers and volunteers from the Cornish stations.

NCI was established to provide “Eyes Along the Coast” following the closure of Coastguard Observation posts and precipitated by the death of two fisherman close to the then-closed Coastguard Station at Bass Point.

Today there are 54 stations in England and Wales, all run by trained volunteers during the hours of daylight. Each station is responsible for raising its own running costs. Nare Point’s annual bill is around £6,000.

Nare Point Coastwatch Station opened 12 years ago in a derelict Ministry of Defence torpedo tracking station, now the property of the National Trust.

The 62 volunteer watchkeepers keep an eye on water users in Falmouth Bay from the Manacles to Black Rock and the Helford entrance.

The station is one of the busiest of the 54, recording up to 20,000 vessels and around 18 incidents per year.

A search and rescue asset, watchkeepers report incidents to the Falmouth Coastguard and provide the Coastguard with information when requested. They can also be involved in rescues by providing RNLI lifeboats and helicopter pilots with detailed information to enable casualties to be quickly located.

Watchkeepers at Nare Point are assisted by the use of an automatic identification system and an up-to-date radar system. They are also able to provide current weather and sea conditions, radio checks and other local marine information using the dedicated NCI VHF Channel 65.

In addition to looking after the wellbeing of those afloat, watchkeepers also keep an eye on walkers on the coastal path and report wildlife sighting to the Cornwall Wildlife Trust.

Nare Point watchkeepers will be on the Moor again on Saturday, September 14, which has been designated National Coastwatch Day.