30th November 2021. The pandemic hit NCI Fleetwood hard but they found a way around financing their vital service. Thanks’ to being recognised by Wyre Council as a good cause, NCI Fleetwood, which operates from the Coastguard Tower at Rossall Point, has benefited from Wyre Community Lottery.

David Croall, secretary at NCI Fleetwood said, “We signed up with Wyre Community Lottery when it was first launched and quite frankly it has been a life saver. During the pandemic most of our normal fundraising activities, which make up the majority of our income, had to stop. So the income generated from the lottery has made all the difference to us. We rely entirely on the generosity of local people. We’ve got a lot of expensive equipment which needs to be maintained, and from time to time needs to be replaced so there is considerable expense involved in running the station. We’re very grateful to everyone who has signed up to the lottery and nominated NCI Fleetwood as their chosen cause.”

NCI Fleetwood is open 365 days a year and the volunteers watch over vessels out at sea and people using the foreshore and the beach, reporting any incidents to the Coastguard. The money received from local supporters buying the lottery tickets has kept the charity afloat during the pandemic. Forty-one other good local good causes have signed up and last year alone benefited from over £30,000 of funding.