
ABOUT US
Our club is run solely by volunteers and we currently have over 250 members! Our Nippers are aged
7-11yrs, Juniors are aged 11-17yrs and Seniors aged 18yrs +. New members are always welcome as
are visitors from other Surf Life Saving Clubs.
Beach and Water Safety Education is at the forefront of the club. All members have the opportunity to achieve internationally recognised Surf Life Saving qualifications, represent the club through national competitions, provide water safety cover for events within the town, assist local Lifeguards on the beaches throughout the summer months and train weekly all through the year.
The club is self-sufficient, we run various fundraising events all through the year to raise the valuable
funds we need to keep going. The Mike Moyle Memorial Christmas Day Swim is our biggest (and
most famous) fundraising even that we run every year. Our members work tirelessly to keep our
club running, pass on skills and knowledge to other members and help to educate the next
generation coming through the club.
PRESIDENTS TESTIMONY
“I have been involved with Bude Surf Life Saving Club since 1975 when my daughters were in the Surf Cadets. I have seen many members pass through the club, from starting out as young Nippers, to qualifying as lifeguards with many progressing and working for the RNLI.
My proudest moment was in 2008 when the club received The Queens Award for Services to the Community. I was among a few members who were invited to Buckingham Palace to attend the Queen’s garden party.
The club has been a very good advert for Bude. We carry out active beach patrols every summer to assist local lifeguards when the town is at its busiest. The people of Bude have always been very supportive of the club. We are always supported at our numerous fundraising events, most noticeably the Mike Moyle Memorial Christmas Day Swim.” - Arthur Bailey, President
OUR HISTORY
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.
OUR COMMITTEE
Our club committee is made up of a range of members with different backgrounds and experiences. The committee meet monthly to discuss training, fundraising and the general running of the club.
2023 COMMITTEE MEMBERS
President - Arthur Bailey
Chairperson - Simon Hammond
Vice Chairperson - Jayney Henwood
Club Captain - Gareth Jeremiah
Ladies Captain - Mel Bardsley
Mens Captain - James Sirmon
Secretary - Gareth Jeremiah / Dean Henwood
Membership Secretary - Stephanie Clark
Training Officer - Mark Ward
Life Saving Officer - Ella Henwood
Safeguarding Officer - Vivien Lynes
Juniors Liaison Officer - Zerren Bell
Nippers Liaison Officer - Liz Stokes
Environmental Officer - Graham Taplin
Media Officer - Ella Henwood
Chief Instructor - Mark Ward
IRB Lead - Dean Henwood
Gear Steward - Graham Taplin
Building Manager - Alan Muller
Competition Official - Ella Henwood
Treasurer - Heather Sirmon
If you would like something raised at the next meeting please send the correspondence to:
Contact - budeslsc.media@gmail.com
2023 NIPPER COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Chairperson - Liz Stokes
Vice Chairperson - Jess Clark
Lead Coach - Janine Davage, John Gatrell &
Glyn Collen
Treasurer - Jess Clark
Competition Secretary - Liz Stokes
Secretary - Candi Hulley
Membership Secretary - Debi Smart
Trainer & Assessor - Glyn Collen