Teams of lifeguards have taken up their posts on Brighton & Hove’s beaches, kicking off the summer season this week.
The new recruits will be joining Brighton & Hove City Council’s Seafront Team, to help millions of visitors enjoy a safe and enjoyable time on the beach.
The lifeguards will patrol the city’s busiest beaches, at West Street, Palace Pier West, Palace Pier East and the King Alfred, throughout the summer until 3 September.
When the summer holidays begin, on 22 July, lifeguards will be stationed on further beaches, including those at Saltdean, West Pier and Hove Lawns.
There has also been a call from the new council leader to look at how funding may be secured to recruit additional lifeguards and a new lifeguard recruitment drive is already underway. A report will be presented at the next Culture, Heritage, Sport, Tourism & Economic Committee on 15 June 2023.
To find out about the roles: Job Details | Brighton & Hove City Council (brighton-hove.gov.uk)
Councillor Alan Robins, chair of the new Culture, Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Economic Committee said: “We are delighted to welcome the new lifeguard team for 2023 and would like to recruit some additional lifeguards to supplement the service provided.
“We want to add additional lifeguarded beaches to those currently allocated for the school holiday service, including Dukes Mound, near the boardwalk, which provides valuable access to the beach for residents and visitors with disabilities.”
Details of lifeguarded beaches are on our website.
Members of the lifeguard team have all successfully completed a beach lifeguard qualification and induction course with our Seafront Team. They have a wide range of skills from assessing sea and weather conditions and dealing with beach hazards, to carrying out first aid and water rescues.
Many of them will be familiar to regular beachgoers as they return to the job they enjoyed last year.
Councillor Robins added: “Millions of people visit our beaches each summer and keeping them safe and happy is a huge priority for us. This year, we are expecting our beaches to be busy, as the cost-of-living crisis means many more local families will be holidaying at home.”
Every summer Brighton & Hove’s lifeguards deal with hundreds of incidents and save many lives.
During last year’s summer season, Brighton & Hove lifeguards:
Easy to spot on the beach with their lifeguard observation towers, the lifeguards will be on duty each day supporting the council’s year-round seafront team.
More information about our lifeguard service.