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RNLI centre at Barry Island welcomes lifeguards back to Whitmore Bay

Thursday, 26 March 2026 at 09:59

By Nathan Spackman

The RNLI Shop and Visitor Experience at Barry Island is preparing for another busy season, as lifeguards return to Whitmore Bay, Barry Island at Easter.

Open year-round on the promenade, the shop and visitor experience has been part of Barry Island since 2017, when it became one of the UK’s first dedicated drowning prevention centres. Today, it continues to play a central role in helping people stay safe at the coast while supporting the RNLI’s lifesaving work.

As the season kicks-off at Easter, the centre will once again act as a base for RNLI lifeguards, who return to patrol Whitmore Bay from Good Friday through to Easter Monday, before weekend cover from 2 May and daily patrols throughout the summer.

Whitmore Bay at Barry Island is one of the busiest beaches in the Vale of Glamorgan, with RNLI lifeguards responding to more incidents here than anywhere else locally. With thousands of visitors expected over the coming months, the RNLI’s presence across the beach and promenade works as one coordinated effort, bringing together lifeguards, volunteer lifeboat crew and the visitor experience team to help prevent incidents and respond when needed.

RNLI Lifeguard Supervisor for the Vale of Glamorgan, Matt Childs, said ‘It’s going to be great to be back at Barry Island for the start of the season. It’s a brilliant beach, but it can get busy and conditions can change quickly, so having lifeguards on patrol is really important.

‘Being able to use the RNLI shop and visitor centre on the promenade means we’re right at the heart of everything - visible, accessible and able to speak to people before they even head into the water. The volunteers at the shop always have great biscuits too!’

The shop and visitor experience welcomes thousands of people each year, offering a place to learn more about water safety, speak to volunteer RNLI teams and support the charity through the shop.

Alongside lifeguard patrols, Barry Dock’s RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew, water safety team, fundraising and shop volunteers work together throughout the year, forming one team focused on keeping people safe along the coastline.

Olivia Harrison, Chair of Barry Dock added ‘The shop and visitor experience are right at the centre of our presence at Barry Island and the big yellow wellie is a well know landmark. It’s where conversations about water safety happen every day and where people can connect with the RNLI and support our work.

‘As we look forward to the summer season, we’re looking forward to welcoming our lifeguards back over the Easter weekend and continuing to work together as one team to help keep people safe.’

Visitors are reminded that the safest place to swim is between the red and yellow flags, which mark the area most closely monitored by lifeguards.

If you see someone in difficulty, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.

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