Yacht rescue
During training on Sunday, April 13 at 10:30am, the team at the Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat (PLIRB) heard a distress call from a yacht reporting engine failure. The 28-foot vessel with two crew was unable to use its sails.
After discussing the rescue with UK Coastguard, the crew launched and located the vessel in choppy seas about a mile and a half from Fairlight Glen.
Jo O’Hara from PLIRB says a member of the team climbed aboard to help one of the yacht’s crew who was reported as having health conditions. “A secure tow was established and our rescue boat towed the vessel to its mooring in Rye Harbour. The journey to safety took around an hour and once the vessel and casualties were secure, our rescue boat made the return journey to Pett Slip – for washing down, refuelling and preparing for our next tasking.”
Lifeguards back
The RNLI lifeguards restart monitoring the beach at Camber Central from Friday, April 18.
The charity’s lifeguards will cover weekends and bank holidays until May 18. From May 24 until the end of September, the service will be in operation seven days a week.
Track closure
The MarshLink Action Group say the rail line between Ashford and Hastings will be closed on the weekend of April 26 and 27, with no trains to or from Rye.
The closure is to allow a range of essential works along the line including replacement of some rails and sleepers; re-ballasting; level crossing works; structural examinations: vegetation clearance, and clearance of litter and graffiti.
MP visits food bank
Local MP, Helena Dollimore, visited Rye Foodbank on Wednesday, April 9 to meet volunteers and to talk to former and present managers, Bob Harper and Penny Downes about the work that the food bank does to support the community.
Penny Downes said: “ We were very pleased to welcome our MP Helena Dollimore, and to show her the fantastic work our team of volunteers does in ensuring whose who need it receive a warm welcome, a cuppa and a food parcel for their household. We were also able to talk about the wonderful support services we offer to help people get back on their feet when they need it such as benefits advice and access to support funds from Hastings Advice and Representation Centre (HARC) and debt advice from Christians Against Poverty (CAP).”
The government has just released a further £1 billion of Household Support Fund, £6.8 million of which has been allocated to East Sussex for 2025-2026 and Rye Foodbank will be receiving a further grant to the one that they recently received as a result of this new funding.
You can donate to Rye Foodbank here.
Garden waste
There are changes to Rother District Council’s garden waste service this year. Subscriptions are now £81 for the first bin and £66 for each additional bin.
A spokesperson for RDC says permit stickers will no longer be issued. “Due to improvements to in-cab technology, crews are now aware of properties that have paid for the service and will only collect from these properties. If you are on a sack collection you will not be able to get a garden waste service due to access issues for the larger vehicles needed.”
Image Credits: Kt Bruce , Jo O'Hara , Dean Martin , MLAG , Juliet Duff , Nick Forman .