Lepe Inshore Rescue
Lepe Inshore Rescue was established in England in August 1961 as Venturers Search and Rescue. Now, as part of the charity UK Youth Marine Training Academy (YMTA), they provide an inshore rescue service and a land rescue service.
It is manned by volunteers aged 12–21, and were established to show that teenagers, if given the training, equipment, opportunity and trust could provide a valuable service to the adult community.
History
The service was started by Mr Philip Gordon Pierce-Smith who no longer runs the service he started nearly 52 years ago, and was started on limited funds and equipment, patrolling Poole Harbour with a small prototype Deep V soft bottom hulled inflatable developed by David Doderell of SWMF in Poole. It proved to be a fantastic hull until the bottom stretched or the wooden keel snapped. The crews had RAF lifejackets and anoraks, navigation was done with a AA road map and handheld compass, a far cry from the current standards. Since then the service has developed, seeing many different rescue boats and hundreds of crew.
The League of Venturers evolved over years thanks largely to a substantial legacy and ongoing support from the public and private persons and the purchase of two Ocean Dynamics waterjet RIBs played a big part in this, however the larger 40 foot cabin RIB had to be sold in late 2005. It was replaced with a Humber Ocean Pro 6.3 that provided a training platform for the Venturers in the waters of the Solent.
Lepe Inshore Rescue, under YMTA, is part of an educational facility that teaches teenagers in all aspects of the marine-based environment, with a view to not just serving the community but improving employment prospects. They can be called upon by the coastguard to attend incidents, and in 2009 the organization attended 90 incidents at sea - double the amount from previous years and are still assisting mariners today.
The mostly sea-based training and operations are undertaken from a purpose built control room next to the old coastguard cottages at Lepe Beach, overlooking the Western Solent and the Beaulieu River. The control room is fully equipped with charts, radio, direction finding equipment and radar.
The land based events and training run out of our Gangwarily HQ a few miles in land. The premises are also where we store our vehicles and work is undertaken in the workshop at Gangwarily, complete with pit and full set of tools / parts.
The UK YMTA also helped the OGA celebrate their 50th anniversary this year in Cowes and have had many ex members visiting us and to exchange memories. In April 2016 the YMTA New Trustee's a Mr Martin Bennett Richard Watkins and Paul Parker who took over from Philip Pearce-Smith were issued with a CCJ for £5073 by Southampton County Court Claim No 3YMO1727 The High Sheriff has seized assets to meet this claim and their costs. On 5 September 2016 a second CCJ Southampton County Court 3YMO1727 for £22,876 for repayment of Interest free loans from Philip Pearce-Smith MBE and £45000 costs payable by 4 October 2016 . They were advised to go into voluntary Liquidation but failed to act and the Debtors have applied to make them bankrupt and call in the Official receiver , as they have sold the Ex Cowes Lifeboats 2 Avon 4 Meter Searider a 5.4 Meter Humber ,and in about mid 2016 offered their Ocean Dynamic 9 meter Diesel Water Jet Rib for offers in te region of £46.000 it is not known what it actually sold for . As they were unable to pay the second CCJ , and the ULYMTA has been dormant since September 2016 . That Fawley Parish Council took legal action to to take back a substantial Garage/Workshop and Club Room , and Lepe Estate took back the Operational Control at Lepe Beach, Philip Pearce-Smith stated that he was Heart Broken , that having devoted 50 years of his life . That after retiring in November 2011 , that the new Trustees who took over £34000 cash in the bak and £22003 Tangible assets declared in Southampton County Court they only £98 cash in the Bank , 2 tractors and a Porta Cabin which they offered as a drop hands for the interest free loans . He has requested the Attorney General to request the Charity Commission of order a forensic audit of the UKYMTA Accounts. It is perhaps interesting to note the Venturers were probably the first Independent Life Boat , After a visit to the Avon factory and their designer Kurt Lammerich donated a Avon Redshank , which they fitted with a Seagull Outboard , and progressed to Ribs from 3.4 Meters to Ex RNLI 40 ft Mountbatten Class , and a 10 Meter Twin Diesel Water Jet Cabin Ocean Dynamic .They may also been the first Inflatable in a David Dodderal Deep V Bottom and $0 HP Jonhson to cross from Dover to Dunque and back, Customs UK asking where their main boat was, for £22,876 being repayment of interest free loans made by Philip Pearce-Smith and £45000 costs