A newly launched Surf Life Saving Club in Carlyon Bay, St Austell, has benefited from the first major donation from Imerys British Lithium this summer!
The group, set up just last year, was in desperate need of kit and storage in order to get beach sessions running for the group of local kids.
Imerys was able to provide an old shipping container, which once delivered was then renovated by Carlyon Bay SLSC volunteers. Imerys also arranged the new signs and funded insurance for the club.
Imerys British Lithium then stepped in to provide seven ‘nipper boards’ – the mini rescue boards that young members of SLSC use to practise their paddling skills. The total support package of just under £10,000 has given the new club a real boost.
Mark Hewson, who leads Imerys in the UK and is an Imerys British Lithium director explains more:
“Carlyon Bay has such a strong historical link to the clay industry so we are delighted to be able to support such a fantastic club on this beach. We hope that over time this builds to more RNLI presence on this stretch on the south coast. Imerys has two ports and countless bodies of water in mid-Cornwall, so water safety education is incredibly important to us.”
Ben Cordier from Carlyon Bay SLSC went on:
“The club was formed as a charity last year to provide water safety education and to train our members in how to save people from drowning, both at sea and in inland water bodies such as the many disused clay pits surrounding St Austell. We have been incredibly fortunate to receive donations and support from across the local community, but the fantastic support we received from Imerys in our formative months was really vital to getting the club off the ground in the first place.
“As a new club, there is a huge range of equipment we need to train our members. With the addition of boards provided by Imerys British Lithium, our team of volunteers have been able to train more of our Sandhoppers (under 8’s) and Nippers (8 – 12) to have the full range of skills they need to help someone in trouble in the water.
“To test their new-found skills, the Nippers used the boards during a recent sponsored Paddle the Channel event, where our members collectively paddled 21 miles, equivalent to the width of the English Channel! We’re currently raising funds to purchase some “transition” boards more suitable for our Youth (teenage) members, the next step in building their skills and helping them progress towards accredited vocational qualifications. Donations are still being very gratefully received through www.carlyonbayslsc.com/paddle-the-channel, with every little helping.”
Other groups looking for funding or support around St Austell and the clay villages should email jane.devereux@imerys.com
Imerys British Lithium plans to build the world’s first integrated lithium quarry and production plant – on land previously used for clay extraction. During 2024, an expert team has hosted a series of events, engaging with the local community on the plans. Feedback gathered will help to shape the planning application, which will be submitted next year.
Final date and location for 2024 public consultations:
- St Stephen on 23 October
For more information, visit www.imerysbritishlithium.com or email bl.info@imerys.com
ENDS
| Contacts | |
| Jane DevereuxUK Communications Manager | 07977 591 005jane.devereux@imerys.com |
