26th January 2022. Since the beginning of the UK Covid19 Vaccination Programme, Volunteer Watchkeepers from the National Coastwatch Institution Station in Gosport have been helping relieve the local demand for Covid “Jabs” in Portsmouth.

NCI Gosport’s involvement began initially when the then Station Manager Dr Chris Aps, a retired NHS Hospital Consultant, joined the Volunteer Vaccinator Team at Laly’s Pharmacy in Portsmouth. A team of volunteers were already acting as marshals in support of the Vaccination Team but Chris realised that they needed more help to organise the large numbers of people turning up for their first and second doses. Chris was aware that the NCI Gosport staffing levels had been reduced during the Covid Lockdown and so suggested that NCI Gosport would provide extra Volunteer Marshals to help out at the Vaccination Centre. A small team of uniformed off-duty Watchkeepers stepped in to fill the gap at Laly’s to help support the operation of the clinic which is open 7 days a week. With multiple vaccines in use on any one day, it was essential that patients were accurately directed to the correct vaccination booths and this became the main responsibility of the Volunteer Marshals. Even though Chris Aps has recently been promoted to the NCI Board of Trustees, he still gives up much of his free time to administer Covid vaccinations at Laly’s Pharmacy. Meanwhile NCI Gosport operates every day watching over the safety of those using the busy waters of the Eastern Solent and Portsmouth Harbour. Maintaining and operating this Volunteer Search & Rescue Asset at Gosport relies entirely upon the generosity of the general public for its funding. It is therefore most gratifying to see close co-operation between outwardly diverse organisations supporting the local Community during these challenging times. Volunteer Watchkeepers from the NCI Gosport Station have been giving up their own personal time to support the Laly’s Pharmacy Vaccination Team in between standing their own regular unpaid watches with NCI.