Severn Area Rescue Association

The Severn Area Rescue Association (SARA) is a large independent volunteer search and rescue organisation, which delivers a range of such services on water and on land in Gloucestershire and the surrounding areas. It is a Charity CIO no 1193634. SARA operates 14 operational boats, of which 5 are Inshore Lifeboats declared to the Coastguard. These mainly operate on the Severn Estuary, which has the highest tidal range in Europe - where a vessel suffering breakdown or damage by grounding is in a particularly dangerous situation. We also provide several Police Forces with support for Missing Person searches in rugged countryside areas and in waterways - such searches can span several days and sadly may become recovery rather than rescue operations. We rescue people from cliffs & steep ground in the Lower Wye Valley, where the cliffs have seen many accidents over the years, and we have 6 Flood Rescue Teams (the largest number of any UK organisation) ready for deployment anywhere i...