Severn Area Rescue Association - Newport Lifeboat Station

13/06/2026

As drowning prevention week starts, we will be raising awareness & sharing daily safety tips.

30/05/2026

The weather is fantastic and the vibes are great at the city centre today!
Come on down and enjoy some live music and take advantage of the fantastic range of food and drinks being served.
Here is the talented Bois Y Bryn playing in the New Market, Kingsway Centre.
They have supported SARA for several months and it’s great to watch them perform.
The 2026 Pirates in the Port event is very generously raising money for SARA Newport, RNLI and Welsh Air Ambulance.

30/05/2026

🚨call-out.
We were requested to launch this morning at approximately 05:30 to assist Gwent Police with a water rescue near Newport City centre.
SARA 14 was launched and stood down. The person was successfully rescued by South Wales Fire and Rescue Service
This was our fourth emergency launch request this month and eighteenth since January.

30/05/2026

🏴‍☠️⚓️ Pirates in the Port is back this weekend for the second year running!

✅ enjoy a weekend of fun & entertainment
✅ free entry
✅ meet our team
✅ lots of local artists and talents

Visit www.shantywales.com for more details & time tables.

Pirates in the Port - Wales's Free Shanty Festival comes to Newport City Centre on May 31st. 40 bands playing in 12 venues.

17/05/2026

SARA lifeboat 14 ‘The Maureen Easton’ was commissioned during 2016 and became Gwent’s only purpose built declared coded lifeboat. The boat was housed close to Newport City Centre and its demand was never really certain.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of SARA 14 and today we pause to reflect on the impressively capable boat that she is.

SARA 14 has attended literally hundreds of emergency calls in Newport and has genuinely contributed to the saving of several lives.
SARA 14 has enabled our crew to locate vulnerable missing people, support partner agencies and come to the assistance of local seafarers.

Operationally, the boat has the unique ability to operate in most states of tide and requires just 300mm to float. This enables a sustainable rescue asset to be called upon by our emergency service partners.

SARA 14 is the busiest lifeboat within the SARA fleet and launches on operations on average once per week.
Designed & Built in the UK by our trusted suppliers Delta Power Group who provide a solid platform for search and rescue activities. 🇬🇧

SARA are committed to the long term rescue service that we provide in Gwent. This includes both inland water rescue and lifeboat services.

We are delighted to announce that part of our commitment to the communities that we serve, we are investing nearly £30,000 into the refurbishment and refit of SARA 14.
This investment will prolong SARA lifeboat presence in Gwent for years to come.

Some of the 2026 upgrades include:
- a larger touch screen navigation display.
- High definition sonar equipment.
- Sea temperature readings.
- Enhanced mapping with satellite imagery.
- A new deck mattress to improve crew comfort.
- New engine & fuel tanks.
- New trailer with additional rubber stoppers to protect the hull.
- Repair work to sacrificial parts of the hull.
- Repainting of rear A Frame.
- Electrical wiring upgrades.

The existing engine will be refurbished in time to give us a level of operational resilience.

We are grateful to all those who made a financial contribution toward this project. Including a significant donation from the previous city Mayor and his charity committee Councillor Ray Mogford.

We extend our thanks to Newport Uskmouth Sailing Club for allowing the use of their slipway and to South Wales Fire and Rescue Service for their continued support and allowing SARA volunteers to base out of their Malpas fire station since 2015.

If you would like to learn more of our work or join our team, please emails us. [email protected]

We are seeking a sponsor to fund the trailer, please get in touch if you’re interested.

Newport City Council Gwent Police Gwent Police - Newport Officers Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent

05/05/2026

Today, we stand shoulder to shoulder with our wider search & rescue family at Marine Rescue New South Wales, following the tragic loss of two of their lifeboat crew during a rescue call overnight.

Reports confirm that a volunteer crew launched to assist a yacht in distress off Ballina, navigating what have been described as treacherous coastal bar conditions. During the response, their vessel capsized in heavy seas, resulting in the loss of two rescue volunteers alongside the casualty they were attempting to save. Four further crew members survived, many with injuries.

This is a stark and sobering reminder of the reality behind what we all do.

Like us at SARA, Marine Rescue NSW is built on volunteers. Individuals who leave their homes, families and safety behind without hesitation when the pager goes. Whether it’s the Severn Estuary or the New South Wales coastline, the fundamentals are the same: unpredictable water, rapidly changing conditions, and the constant balance between risk and rescue.

Every launch carries that risk.

Every callout asks ordinary people to step into extraordinary circumstances.

And sometimes but thankfully not often, despite training, experience, and teamwork, the environment wins.

From all of us at SARA, we send our deepest condolences to the families, friends and fellow crew members affected by this devastating loss. We also stand with the wider rescue community in recognising the courage, professionalism and selflessness shown by those involved.

Fair winds and following seas.

18/04/2026

We are fundraising at Morrisons store in Cwmbran today. (10-3ish)
Why not come on down, get your shopping in and meet our crew at the same time.🧡🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

📢We have extended our lifeboat crew recruitment window so you’ll be able to find out more & ask any questions about volunteering with us! 🚤🛟

03/04/2026

Many thanks to KELRAY LTD for their generous donation of a brand new 65” tv.
This is a fantastic donation towards our training room refurbishment. 🧡

22/03/2026

During SARA’s AGM which was held today, we were delighted to have received ‘The Jim Hewitt’ award in recognition of an incident that we attended.
Jim is a founder member of SARA with over 50 years of dedication to the charity.
This award is intended to recognise 'exceptional endeavours in search and rescue'.

In recognition of twelve crew members extraordinary dedication, perseverance and courage during a protracted and technically demanding missing person search. Over eleven separate deployments spanning November 2025 to January 2026, the team searched close to four miles of fast-flowing, flood- affected river under hazardous conditions- including strainers, deep eddies and sub-zero temperatures - ultimately locating the missing person in January 2026.
The crews compassionate professionalism during the recovery operation and subsequent related duties exemplified the highest standards of search and rescue.

Commended by Gwent Police Assistant Chief Constable Townsend as 'above and beyond'.

Rich, Martin & Lauren were delighted to receive the award on behalf of the crew.

21/03/2026

Following multiple 999 calls received yesterday, SARA Lifeboat 14 ‘The Maureen Easton’ was requested to launch immediately by HM Coastguard to provide assistance at a multi agency response near the university building at Newport, the River Usk.
Our crew joined several other water rescue assets from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, multiple Gwent Police and ambulance resources, specialist teams from HM Coastguard Chepstow HM Coastguard - Penarth and a search & rescue helicopter ‘Rescue 387’.

Thank you to the members of public who made way for our emergency vehicles during yesterday’s traffic.