A SHORT ceremony at Polzeath last week represented the culmination of a four year effort by a Tavistock family to improve the safety of a West Country beach that is second home to many Tavistokians.
The Duke of Edinburgh, in his role as chief patron of the Surf Life Saving Association, performed the official opening of the new Polzeath Surf Life Saving Club last Thursday.
Three-quarters of the £175,000 cost for the new centre was met by the lottery, but £12,000 was raised by the people of Tavistock, through the efforts of David and Sue Balment, whose son, Tom, 19, died in a surfing accident at the beach in 1996 with his 16-year-old friend, Nicholas Woods.
Mr Balment, who is vice-president at the club, blamed the deaths on the lack of facilities at the beach.
'There were three deaths that same year. As well as Tom and Nick another boy was killed cliff-jumping,' he said.
'All the boys died due to the absence of equipment, and what equipment there was here was unsuitable.
'Those deaths gave everything a higher profile. We campaigned to get equipment and a vehicle for Polzeath, which we managed by the Easter.
'It's essential. This is a Mecca, like Fistral Beach in Newquay, so many people use the water here.'
'We also got a coastguard vehicle for Polzeath — the only one available at the time, with the "rationalisation" of the service, was based at Port Isaac, some 20 minutes away.'
Mr Balment said he and Sue had been coming to the beach for years, and bringing the boys, Tom and Jamie, since they could stand.
'I regard this, and the people of Tavistock too regard this as "their" beach. That's why we've done so well by the people of Tavistock,' he said. 'When Tom died they were only too keen to help.'
That help came in many ways, including a couple of concerts in Tavistock, one featuring West Devon's top pop folk band Equation that raised in excess of £6,000.
'I'd like to say a big thank you to everyone who has given money and support over the last four years,' said Mr Balment. 'It's lovely to see that money being put into a permanent building that will help keep the coast safe.'
And he paid tribute to Polzeath Surf Life Saving Club in achieving what they had in the nine years since it was re-formed.
'It's a great club,' said Mr Balment. 'It was a privilege to be asked to be the club's vice-president.'
The club exists primarily as a sports club and is a lot of fun, according to members. But it also serves a vital function in educating youngsters, in this case almost 150 of them, in the dangers of the sea and equips them with an array of life-saving skills.
Some of the members go on to join the professional lifeguards, stationed at the beach and equipped with inflatable, motorised rescue boats, who are responsible for beach safety.
Many others go on to join the other emergency services.
The sport of surf lifesaving grew up in Australia from older rescue techniques and is now a fiercely competitive international sport. According to the man from Sport England handing over the club's cheque it may well end up in the Olympics.