Seasonal lifeguards wanted

With the first day of spring this weekend, Brighton & Hove’s seafront team is preparing for the summer season.

The team is busy recruiting seasonal lifeguards, a deputy coxswain and a lifeguard patrol boat coxswain to assist the regular lifeguards working on the city's world-famous beach.

The deputy will assist the coxswain in patrolling the dedicated bathing zones offering safety advice, helping swimmers and enforcing the local bye-laws.

Shortlisted lifeguard applicants will be invited to a swim test to show they can swim 400 metres in seven minutes 30 seconds or under. The new recruits will join a large team dedicated to ensuring the safety of the millions of residents and visitors who come to Brighton & Hove’s beaches.

Councillor Alan Robins, deputy chair of the city’s economic development and culture committee, said: “It’s great to be looking forward to the summer season and the appointment of our seasonal lifeguards to join the regular beach team. They do a fantastic job supporting our seafront officers, making sure everyone has a safe and enjoyable time on our beaches and in the sea.”

The lifeguard team will take up their posts from 28 May and will be patrolling beaches from the Marina to Hove Lagoon.

The new recruits will complete a beach lifeguard qualification and a week-long induction course acquiring a wide range of skills from assessing sea and weather conditions and dealing with beach hazards, to carrying out first aid and water rescues.

During an average year Brighton & Hove’s lifeguards carry out more than 100 water rescues, and save many lives. They also administer first aid to around 250 beach goers, give safety advice to around 10,000 people and reunite hundreds of children with their families.

Find out more about the seasonal vacancies