Gosport And Fareham Inshore Rescue Service

24/06/2026

8300 Followers – Thank You!

Our followers continue to grow, and we are delighted to have now reached 8,300 followers!

GAFIRS Community Director Darren Taylor-Lane would like to thank every single person who follows, likes, comments on and shares our posts.

“I am extremely honoured to represent GAFIRS within our community and to help promote a truly special organisation made up of dedicated volunteers, many of whom have been saving lives for decades.

Every like, share and comment helps us spread the word about the work we do as an independent lifesaving lifeboat charity. We are also proud to be unique in having a thriving Cadet section, where young people learn valuable lifesaving skills and can progress to become volunteer lifeboat crew should they wish. It is a system that works and one that we are incredibly proud of.

Thank you to everyone in our local community who supports us, whether through donations, our Lifeboat Lottery, volunteering their time, attending events, or simply helping to raise awareness of our work. Your kindness and support make a real difference.

By following our journey, you are helping us continue our mission of saving lives on the water. Thank you.”

From all of us at Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service, thank you for being part of our journey. Your support helps us continue serving our community, training the next generation of lifesavers, and remaining ready to answer the call whenever we are needed.

Here’s to the next milestone! 🚤❤️

23/06/2026

Tasking Numbers on the Rise for Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service

With 34 incidents already attended this year, the volunteer crew of Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service (GAFIRS) have seen a noticeable increase in call-outs as the warm weather continues to bring more people onto the water.

The latest incident began at 20:24 last night when the crew were paged by HM Coastguard. As the team mustered at the station and selected a crew, thoughts inevitably turned to the challenge of wearing dry suits in the evening heat before launching aboard Joan Dora Fuller.

The crew were tasked to a vessel hard aground in Portsmouth Harbour with three persons on board. Making best speed to the location, the welfare of those aboard the stranded vessel was a primary concern.

On arrival, the crew were encouraged by the number of passing vessels offering assistance, highlighting the strong sense of community among local mariners. GAFIRS prepared their mud sled to row out to the casualty vessel, but one helpful boater had already made contact with those stranded and, due to the shallow water, offered to ferry them safely to the Lifeboat.

Once aboard the Lifeboat, it became apparent that the casualties were suffering from the effects of exposure despite the warm conditions.

Back at Gosport Marina, staff at Premier Marinas kindly assisted by providing a location where the Coastguard Rescue Team could gather information and assess the casualties. During this time, one individual took a turn for the worse. Working together, GAFIRS crew supplied oxygen equipment from the Lifeboat while Coastguard Rescue Team members provided care, successfully stabilising the casualty.

With the situation resolved, the crew were stood down. However, their evening was not quite over. While returning to the Lifeboat station at Stokes Bay, they encountered an unlit fishing vessel just off the slipway. The vessel had suffered a battery failure, leaving it without navigation lights and highlighting yet again the dangers of operating on the water after dark.

Even on an exceptionally warm summer evening, this incident demonstrated the professionalism of the GAFIRS volunteers, the value of teamwork between emergency services, and the willingness of the local boating community to help those in difficulty.

Photos courtesy of Dan Hill.

22/06/2026

Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Cadet Educational Training

A huge thank you to Newfs in Action (NIA) for joining our Cadets and delivering an informative and engaging educational session.

The Cadets had the opportunity to learn about the important role Newfoundland dogs can play in water rescue, gaining an insight into their training, capabilities, and the teamwork involved in keeping people safe around the water.

Opportunities like this help broaden our Cadets’ knowledge of lifesaving and rescue techniques while inspiring the next generation of volunteers and rescuers.

Thank you to everyone from NIA who gave up their time to support our Cadet programme. Your enthusiasm, expertise, and dedication made for a fantastic learning experience enjoyed by all.

22/06/2026

Warren’s Ice Cream Has Done It Again! 🍦🚤

As well as keeping our visiting Newfoundland dogs cool during Sunday’s training session, Warren’s Ice Cream also very kindly provided free ice cream for our Cadets and Lifeboat crew.

We only recently saw a similar gesture from the team at Harbourside Café, who treated our volunteer crew to drinks and cakes during training on Saturday. These acts of kindness may seem small, but they mean a great deal to our volunteers, Cadets and crew members.

As a charity run entirely by volunteers, support from local businesses and members of the community is always appreciated. It is these gestures that remind us just how fortunate we are to serve such a supportive and caring community.

A huge thank you to Warren for his generosity and continued support. It really brings home the fantastic sense of community we have across the Gosport and Fareham area.

Your kindness helps keep spirits high and reminds our volunteers that their efforts are valued by the people they serve.

Thank you from all at Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service. ❤️🍦🚤

22/06/2026

Dogs Doing the Rescuing! 🐾🚤

To round off Drowning Prevention Week, the Cadets of Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue were delighted to host some very special visitors at the lifeboat station on Sunday – a day they will remember for a long time to come.

Joining us were a group of magnificent Newfoundland dogs from the organisation Newfs in Action (NIA). This dedicated group of owners train their dogs to carry out the type of water rescue work the breed was originally developed for.

Newfoundland dogs, affectionately known as “Newfies”, are large, gentle working dogs originating from Canada. Renowned for their calm temperament and natural lifesaving instincts, these impressive animals possess webbed feet and a thick, water-resistant double coat, making them exceptionally suited to aquatic rescue work.

Throughout the day, the dogs and our Cadets worked together practising a variety of water rescue drills. With the warm weather providing ideal conditions, the sea offered a welcome way for the dogs to cool down between exercises. Their welfare remained a priority throughout, with access to shaded areas and plenty of fresh water after each training session.

The day provided a fantastic opportunity for our Cadets to learn about another aspect of water rescue, while seeing first-hand the incredible abilities of these remarkable dogs.

A huge thank you to Newfs in Action for giving our Cadets such a memorable and educational experience.

If you would like to find out more about our Cadet programme and the opportunities it offers, come and visit us at the station or search online for more information.

🐾🚤🌊

20/06/2026

Today, Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service volunteer crews were conducting training exercises around the Hill Head and Titchfield Harbour area.

During the training session, the wonderful staff at Harbourside Café kindly came out to the crew with drinks and cakes, completely free of charge.

As a service run entirely by volunteers, with no paid roles, gestures like this mean a great deal to our crew. The support we receive from local businesses and members of the community is always appreciated and reminds us how fortunate we are to serve such a caring and supportive area.

On behalf of everyone at GAFIRS, we would like to say a heartfelt thank you to the team at Harbourside Café for their kindness and generosity.

It is support like this that helps keep our volunteers motivated as they continue training and preparing to answer the call when needed.

Thank you, Harbourside Café. 🚤❤️

20/06/2026

Today, Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service attended Fareham 999 Day. It is always a fantastic event, and as a Lifeboat service we are proud to carry the names of both Gosport and Fareham, the communities we are privileged to serve.

While the event was not primarily a fundraising occasion, it provided a wonderful opportunity to meet local residents, talk about the lifesaving work we do, and engage with the people who support us throughout the year.

The generosity shown by the people of Fareham was truly appreciated, with an amazing £190.13 donated into our collection tubs during the day.

Every donation helps us continue providing our volunteer lifesaving service and supporting our local communities.

A special thank you to Pamela Oddy, Andrew Murphy (affectionately known as “Spud”), and Joanne Young for giving up their time to represent GAFIRS and engage with visitors throughout the event.

From everyone at GAFIRS, thank you for your continued support. 🚤❤️

19/06/2026

We really enjoy meeting with the local public that support us, and the work we do.

Absolutely thrilled to let you know Gosport And Fareham Inshore Rescue Service will be attending FamilyFest next Wednesday.
The children will be able to go in the demo boat and engage with the team having conversations about being safe around water.

Feel free to bring some loose change and put it into their collection pots, they are a much valued and needed organisation in our community ❤️

18/06/2026

This Saturday, Gosport and Fareham inshore Rescue Service will be at the Fareham 999 day!
Come along and see us there!