Burnham-On-Sea Coastguards have this week been asked to stop making visits to local schools as part of a raft of cost-cutting measures from the government.
The Burnham team often visit schools and community groups to hand out seaside safety advice, but the new money-saving measures from Westminster mean those have now had to be halted.
Tristam Newey, Coastguard Manager for the Severn Sector, confirmed to Burnham-On-Sea.com: “A freeze has been placed on all marketing and advertising at Coastguard stations across the UK, which includes visits to schools where fuel or staff costs would be incurred.”
“The Treasury guidance is part of a raft of cost-cutting measures to tackle the budget defecit – it’s a sign of the times that we live in.”
He added that schools and groups can still visit the Coastguard station itself on Burnham seafront when it is manned, if pre-arranged, providing that no costs are incurred.
Our photo shows the Burnham Coastguard team during a visit to East Huntspill School earlier this year
