Albany Lodge Donates Over £2,300 To Support Ryde Beach Lifeguards

Albany Lodge 151 has donated £2,376.25 to Ryde Beach Lifeguards, helping support the vital life-saving work carried out on Island beaches.

The contribution reflects the Lodge’s ongoing commitment to backing local charities, community organisations, and youth initiatives throughout the year.

Ryde Beach Lifeguards play a crucial role in keeping residents and visitors safe along the coastline.

Over the past year, the team has:

• Completed 2,857 patrol hours across Ryde and Sandown

• Saved two lives

• Responded to 126 incidents, assisting 85 people

• Carried out 138 preventative actions to stop accidents before they happened

• Worked closely with Isle of Wight Ambulance Service, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, HM Coastguard, RNLI and local lifeboat crews

• Delivered pre-season safety education to schools and community groups

Despite their impact, the charity received no grant funding in 2025, relying heavily on community donations and support.

Beach Manager Todd Miller said the donation has already made a real difference:

“The donation received from Albany Lodge is greatly appreciated and has already been used to purchase a new Surf Rescue Sled from Australia, which will be used in Sandown.

"The new board is easier to launch and store, meaning the team can use it more often. As a small charity we rely heavily on donations and grants, so we welcome any support from local groups and organisations.”