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History
Surf Life Saving originated in Australia in the early 1900s with the growth of seaside towns and the interest in swimming. Surf Life Saving was then introduced into Great Britain in 1955 in Bude, St Agnes in Cornwall and Brighton in Sussex.
Clubs were formed in Wales during the mid 1960s at Aberavon, Atlantic College , Barry, St Johns , Llantwit Major, Pen-y-bont, Porthmawr& Rhoose. Commander Charles Thomson as the driving force, formed Surf Life Saving Association WALES in 1969.
About Surf Lifesaving
Surf Life Saving Association WALES is a not-for-profit Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) Number ~ 1157762. Twenty-nine voluntary lifeguard clubs currently affiliate to SLSA Wales from Jacksons Bay , Barry in the east to Aberystwyth in the west and Rhosneigr on Anglesey in the north. Covering every Local Authority from the Vale of Glamorgan to Ceredigion and Anglesey in north Wales. The majority of our lifesavers complete patrols on the weekend and in their own free time.
The primary aims & objectives are to save lives, to develop and improve National and International standards of life saving whilst co-operating with all organisations with similar aims. We also aim to provide the facilities for young people to participate in organised life saving.
OUR VOLUNTEERS
Surf Lifesaving in Wales, would not exist without its army of volunteers and it is almost impossible to overstate our gratitude to the many thousands of community focused members who have contributed to this. Below are some of these volunteers, who we have recognised in some small way of the years:
LIFE MEMBERS
Michael Allen Gerald Bassett Lyle Bluck Glenn Clatworthy
Gerald Cooper John David Martin John
Peter Lake. MBE. James Marks Dr George Middleton.MBE. Colin Morris
Andrea Pennell Philip Rees Tony Rees Paul Scarborough
Dallas Robinson Elizabeth Thomas Patrick Thomas Reg Whittle
DECEASED LIFE MEMBERS
Essex Havard Frank Smith Charles Thomson. MBE. O.St.J.
Douglas Williams Alf Thomas Peter Derbyshire
David Lewis
LIFESAVER OF THE YEAR
1996 Aled Rees Poppit Sands 1997 Gerald & Gloria Davies Rest Bay
1998 Peter Lake Penybont 1999 Glen Clatworthy Sker
2000 Karen O'Donoghue-Harris Rhoose 2001 James Marks Sker
2002 Tony Rees Aberavon 2003 Peter Morgan Penybont
2004 Lisa Pritchard-Evans Aberporth 2005 Chris Parry Porthmawr
2006 Nigel Martlew Rhoose 2007 Martin John Aberavon
2008 Craig Robinson Penybont 2009 Gary Pyke Llantwit Major
2010 Andrea Pennell Llantwit Major 2011 David Murphy Penybont
2012 Craig Robinson Penybont 2013 Phil Rees Rhondda
2014 Lyle Bluck Kenfig Sands 2015 Steve Chambers Aberavon
2016 Julie Wisden Penybont 2017 David Allen Penybont
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IN THE NEWS..
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2019 Competition News
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| Below are the competition dates for 2019. We are still looking for clubs to host the Ocean championships and ask interested parties to email sport@sls... |
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Volunteer Patrol Guidelines
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| Following on from a number of queries from our clubs, the Technical Commission have now published, Volunteer Patrol Guidelines, which can be downloade... |
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2020 World Championships
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Dear Lifesaving Friends,
Following the official allocation of the Lifesaving World Championships (LWC)2020 from the ILS Board in September ... |
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Risk Assessments
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| The new risk assessment template has been added to the Assessment folder in the Members Area on the website. Contact your Regional Tutor should you r... |
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Rule Book
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| The 2018 Nipper Ocean Rule book as now been added to the Sports folder in the members login area.... |
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