About Us
This is the story of South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade from its beginnings in 1866 to the present day...
South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade is a shore-based organisation which provides a 24/7 Search and Rescue service to support HM Coastguard dealing with a wide range of emergency incidents in and around the South Tyneside area. The Brigade has been operating since 1866 and is run entirely by volunteers who rely on fundraising to support their endeavours to remain “Always Ready” to help those in peril around our rivers and shores.
Queen's Award for Voluntary Service
South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade has been honoured with The Queen’s Award for
Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK. The prestigious award was announced in the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours List. The Brigade also received special recognition for its work during the pandemic. The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by volunteer groups to benefit their local communities. The Brigade received a slightly modified crystal award with the words ‘with special
recognition – Covid 19’ included in the engraving. Members also received a special badge. Some of the team are pictured above celebrating the announcement of the award.