I will be taking part in this year's Charmouth Christmas swim in order to raise money for the Lyme Bay National Coastwatch Institution's (NCI) lookout station there.

The National Coastwatch Institution is a voluntary organisation providing eyes and ears along the coast with the aim of preserving lives at sea. Lyme Bay NCI opened up a satellite lookout station at Charmouth in 2016 to support the activities of its main lookout along the coast at Burton Bradstock. The Charmouth station was originally built in 1804 as a lookout during the Napoleonic Wars. Later in the 19th Century is was used as a Coastguard station before falling into disuse. Until recently the Charmouth Parish Council leased the building as a beach hut. This grade II listed building is now back in use for similar purposes for which it was originally constructed. Our volunteers there have been involved in a number of incidents which they have reported to HM Coastguard resulting appropriate rescue measures being taken. The running costs and equipment required to keep the lookout working relies entirely on voluntary contributions.