Penzance and St Ives Coastguard are recruiting for two weeks only

A short window has just opened for anyone in west Cornwall who has watched a rescue truck head down to the shore and wondered whether they could be the one driving it. Two of the teams that answer the call when things go wrong on our coastline are looking for new volunteers, and the door will not stay open for long.

The teams looking for new faces

HM Coastguard is opening its books at two stations near the far west. Penzance Coastguard Rescue Team and St Ives Coastguard Rescue Team, the flank stations sitting either side of Land’s End Coastguard, both want new volunteers to join the ranks.

These are the local Coastguard rescue teams that respond to emergencies along the coast, from cliff falls to people cut off by the tide, helping to save lives when it matters most. The stations have put out the call together, asking people who live locally and want to make a real difference in their community to step forward.

What the role asks of you

Nobody is expected to arrive knowing the job. Full training is provided. What the teams want is commitment, reliability and a willingness to learn.

The Penzance team has spelled out the same thing in its own words, describing the kind of person it is after. New recruits should be able to work as part of a team and stay calm under pressure, and they need the commitment and availability the role requires.

How and when to apply

For Penzance, recruitment runs on a fixed calendar. Applications open on Friday 14 August and close on 28 August, a fortnight and no longer. St Ives is running on the same short timescale.

Anyone interested is being asked to keep an eye on the team pages for details of the role and how to apply, so the Penzance and St Ives pages are the places to watch over the coming days.

As the Penzance team put it, they are looking for people who can work as part of a team, stay calm under pressure and have the commitment and availability the role requires.

📷Credit: Land's End Coastguard