Bude SLSC was set up by Australian, Alan Kennedy in 1953. Alan Kennedy is credited as being the founding father of the Surf Lifesaving movement in Great Britain. Kennedy first volunteered as a lifesaver at the Byron Bay Club in New South Wales before moving to Surfers’ Paradise in Queensland.  He held the position of state superintendent for Queensland from 1941 to 1946 and during the war spent time instructing Australian and American troops sent to recuperate on the Gold Coast in the techniques of surf lifesaving and awarding the Bronze medallion to those who passed the test. 

In 1951, Kennedy’s job sent him to England where he travelled to Bude in May 1952. Before he left Australia he had been told by fellow countrymen who had served there during the war that the Atlantic surf on its beaches would remind him a bit of home. Kennedy had promised the Surf Life Saving Australia’s (SLSA) president, Sir Adrian Curlewis that he would continue to promote surf lifesaving wherever he could. Kennedy visited Bude after hearing good things about the surf and fell in love with the place ‘what surf & a place for surfing’.

Kennedy soon discovered that those concerned with beach safety in Bude could and should be much better equipped to deal with emergencies in the surf and wrote to see if the SLSA might provide a reel, line and belt and a surf ski to get things started in Cornwall.  Life saving equipment arrived in Bude in the August of 1953. Kennedy began an intensive week of training where young people of Bude were trained and tested in surf life saving techniques. The first training squad, comprised of 12 members mostly from the local youth club were able to successfully achieve the coveted Australian Bronze Medallion and the first British surf lifesaving club was founded. In 1954, a further 22 volunteers also gained the Bronze Medallion award. Fast forward over 60 years and many members have received bravery awards, the club has logged over 1000 rescues, paved the way for Surf Life Saving in Great Britain and is a valuable asset to the Bude community. We continue to have strong links with Australian surf lifesaving clubs and are proud to be the first Surf Life Saving Club in Great Britain.

Everything we do within the club is focused around Surf life saving whether that be through club training, awards and qualifications or our fundraising events.