Image: Dirk Seyfried - Folkestone NCI Watch Station (3 white masts) overlooking the harbour

about nci

THE history of nci

In 1994 when two fishermen lost their lives off the Cornish coast near a recently closed Coastguard lookout, local people decided to open and restore the visual watch. When the first station was opened at Bass Point on the Lizard, NCI was born. Today 56 stations keep a visual watch around the coastline of England and Wales, with more in the pipeline.

The folkestone station

Copt Point was officially opened on the 10th October 1998 and was the first National Coastwatch Institution station in Kent. We operated until February 2003 from an ex-Coastguard Station lookout situated on a chalk headland overlooking the English Channel in east Folkestone near Martello Tower number 3. 

The work of nci

The objective of the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) is to assist in the protection and preservation of life at sea and along the United Kingdom coastline. 56 NCI stations are manned by over 2500 volunteers keeping watch around the British Isles from Lancashire, through Wales, to Hornsea in Yorkshire. 

NCI watchkeepers provide eyes and ears along the coast, monitoring radio channels and providing a listening watch in poor visibility; they are trained to deal with emergencies and offer a range of skills and experience. Full training by the NCI ensures that high standards are met.

Incidents summary

To view all the incidents recorded by NCI, access the national website via the button below and select a year or station.

NCI folkestone - QAVS

The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK to recognise outstanding work done in their own communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate the anniversary of The Queen's coronation. It is the MBE for volunteer groups and was awarded to Folkestone NCI in 2011.

Folkestone NCI is wholly funded by donations raised by members, we have no central or local government funding, nor do we receive funding from the Coast Guard or other devolved government bodies.

We wholly rely on the generosity of charitable bodies and you the public.

get involved

join as a volunteer watchkeeper

Join NCI as a volunteer watchkeeper and help in the protection and preservation of life at sea and along the UK coastline. All volunteers help with non-watch keeping duties too, such as fund raising and maintenance.

No experience is necessary and all required training is given at a relaxed pace. Each volunteer determines how much time they can give and there is no compulsion.

We welcome all.

non-watchkeeping volunteers

Our non-watchkeeping volunteers play a vital role in helping with events and fundraising without the need to take on watchkeeping duties. Choose to join as a non-watchkeeping volunteer and you’ll be supporting the work of the NCI.

If you are interested in joining us, e-mail contact@nci-folkestone.org and someone will be in touch.

public events

We have a programme of annually-held events, designed to raise awareness of our work with the general public, and also raise funds to help keep us operational.

Each year, we hold a Summer Open Day at the Watch Station on the East Cliff, and we participate in many other local, maritime events throughout the year.

Weather & Tides