Skip to content

Severn Area Rescue Association celebrates 50th anniversary

A Gloucestershire search and rescue service is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

First operating out of a shed and staffed wholly by volunteers, the Severn Area Rescue Service (Sara) now has multiple stations across the county.

Providing support to the HM Coastguard, police and emergency services, they have been operating since 1973.

27 June 2023

Explore More

A public air raid shelter from World War Two. There are benches running the lenght of it and a stirrup pump can be seen in the foreground on one of them. Light is coming through a rectangular door of light is at the end.

Restored WW2 bunker reopens for Heritage Open Days

A man and a girl sitting at a table during the Make a Difference Awards

Award winners celebrate Making a Difference

Hull & East Yorkshire

A broken hairdryer being recycled

London market recycling hub hoping to reduce waste

Margaret Black

The 86-year-old keeping the Peak District tidy

A Royal Park volunteer pushes a wheelbarrow

What is it like to be a Royal Parks volunteer?

Barbara surprised by Cliff Richard

Cliff Richard surprises charity volunteer with message

a stray kitten who has been adopted meets its new owner

Volunteers rescuing and rehoming stray cats

The Canal and River Trust

Volunteer push to keep London's canals clean

Joanne smiling at the camera

'I can't imagine my life without this group'

Leeds & West Yorkshire

Michael Davies

A day in the life of a hospice volunteer

Bensham residents

The festive dinner serving friendship and warmth

After noticing the increasing number of people living on London's streets, a keen cyclist decided to help.

The cycling group helping London's homeless

Bournbrook Skate Park

'I'd be heartbroken if this skate park closed'

Birmingham & Black Country

Beryl

The 100-year-old volunteer with no plans to stop

Lucy Hibberd and Claire Holloway

'We'd welcome more vaccine helpers with open arms'

Women in Newcastle

'It's so important that people look out for us'

Cynthia Tjipuka

COP26 volunteer Cynthia 'humbled and honoured'

Karen Donaldson

COP26 volunteer Karen is happy to play her part

Zain, Lucy and Myurri, St John Ambulance volunteers

'One million hours of service'

Hand holding a syringe

Covid vaccination volunteers: How are they trained?

Van driving into front drive with mini roundabout, with trees

Historic Cotswold house starring in TV series Rivals

The hit-TV series stars David Tennant, Alex Hassell and Bella Maclean.

Gloucestershire

Two people dressed as ghosts with sheets over their body and dark sunglasses covering their eyes

Spooks dress as ghosts for scary Halloween surprise

Two spooks from the intelligence agency take part in the viral social media trend.

Gloucestershire

A green HGV with a driver, whose face has been blurred, sitting behind the wheel

Lorry driver caught eating with a spoon at the wheel

Gloucestershire Police share footage from an operation involving officers in an unmarked HGV.

Gloucestershire

Gloucester Brick Project founder Dan Petley standing in front of the painted wall

Community works together to paint huge city mural

The project involves hundreds of local people painting their own artwork on individual bricks.

Gloucestershire

Gloucester Rugby players Tomas Williams and Gareth Anscombe sitting on the pitch at Kingsholm Stadium

Rugby players take on 'milk challenge'

Gloucester Rugby players aim to drink eight pints of milk in 20 minutes.

Gloucestershire

A red car is seen on dashcam footage driving in the middle of the road towards another car

Police share dashcam videos of dangerous driving

The force has a dedicated officer reviewing submitted footage, which may lead to prosecutions.

Gloucestershire

Student Holly standing in the University of Gloucestershire campus wearing a bright blue cardigan

Student reviving county's old language

Holly wants to revive old Gloucestershire words like "flittermouse", which means bat.

Gloucestershire

River footballers

Annual river football match takes place

Crowds gather to watch two football teams battle it out in the River Windrush.

Gloucestershire

Combat

Inside the world of 'medieval combat'

The unique sport includes weapons, armour, fights and shields.

Gloucestershire

A woman stood in a dark room amongst hundreds of blue lights

Immersive light experience comes to shopping centre

The artwork in Eastgate Shopping Centre is free for anyone to attend until 31 August.

Gloucestershire

People celebrating Jamaican Independence Day at GlosJam

Gloucester celebrates Jamaican Independence Day

People enjoyed the warmth in Gloucester Park as a Caribbean celebration was held.

Gloucestershire

Three women stand in front of an advertising board with feeling the pinch written on it

Burger van offering donated meal scheme for families

The business has launched a pay it forward scheme to help families struggling to afford food.

Gloucestershire

Image of two men. They have their arms around each other and are laughing

Pupils past and present enjoy annual cricket match

Pupils from when the school opened in the 1950s joined the current year sixes for the annual tradition.

Gloucestershire

A Red Arrows pilot prepares to get into his plane at the Royal International Air Tattoo

Red Arrows arrive at Royal International Air Tattoo

The famous planes will take to the skies at RIAT in Gloucestershire this weekend.

Gloucestershire

A Globemaster aircraft comes into land at Fairford ahead of RIAT 2024

Aircraft arrive for Royal International Air Tattoo

About 150,000 people are expected to visit the annual show this week.

Gloucestershire

Colourful houses in Tredworth

Streets transformed with colourful murals

Artist Tash Frootko is known for lining the streets of Gloucestershire with colour.

Gloucestershire

Two black Labradors sitting on a stone ledge. Both are wearing special badges with their ID photos.

Labradors brought in to meet and greet Abbey visitors

Eric and Florence also act as therapy dogs to support people visiting Tewkesbury Abbey.

Gloucestershire

Richard Graham

'The centre and the centre-right is now split'

Former Conservative MP for Gloucester, Richard Graham, has lost his seat to Labour's Alex McIntyre.

Gloucestershire

Woman in Gloucester

Have you heard the phrase 'genny lec'?

Asking people how they feel about the new slang term "genny lec".

Gloucestershire

The Boogie Bin

'I'm so confused' - Man's surprise at talking bin

The Boogie Bin, which moves and plays music, was seen on the streets of Cirencester.

Gloucestershire