21/12/2025
It’s an honour and pleasure to deploy volunteers in Belfast City Centre every Friday and Saturday night from 10pm to 3am.
Working collaboratively with our friends and colleagues in SOS Bus NI and Community Rescue Service Belfast District we’re proud to help those who have a medical need.
RELENTLESS WEEKEND
This weekend has been relentless. Across rivers, towns and city streets through daylight, darkness and into the small hours of tge morning our volunteers remained on the ground, responding, searching, and supporting those who needed us most.
FRIDAY
At first light, our teams were back on the River Bann in Portadown where we have now been every day for the past 36 days, searching from first light until darkness for a high-risk missing person last seen in the Portadown area. The hours are long, conditions can be unforgiving, but the focus never changes.
While the Portadown search continued, CRS volunteers were also in Belfast City Centre for our annual street collection. To everyone who stopped, donated, and spoke with our team, thank you. Your support helps keep us operational when the call comes.
Friday night, our volunteers stepped straight into River Lagan and Belfast City Centre safety patrols. Thankfully, the evening passed without incident.
SATURDAY
Saturday morning our volunteers returned to Portadown conducting pre-planned searches on the River Bann in conjunction with PSNI.
At the same time, CRS volunteers were also out in the Lisburn area for our annual street collection. Again, thank you to everyone who gave what they could and took time to chat. Those conversations and donations mean more than you know.
Late Saturday afternoon, we were tasked by PSNI to Carrickfergus area for another high-risk missing person search. With urgency and coordination our teams deployed, and we’re thankful to report the person was located safe and well.
As night fell, our City safety patrols began again and ran into the early hours of Sunday. We attended several incidents including one requiring immediate medical intervention. With strong collaboration between CRS, St John Ambulance and SOS volunteers, the person received the urgent care they needed.
SUNDAY
In the early hours, while most slept, our volunteers were tasked again, this time to a high-risk missing person in the Bangor area. After identifying and searching high-risk locations, the person was located safe and well.
Sunday morning saw teams returning once again to Portadown, continuing with pre-planned searches from our search and rescue boat on the River Bann.
Simultaneously, CRS carried out extensive pre-planned searches in Groomsport area, working alongside a Police search dog and handler covering ground thoroughly and methodically.
Just as teams stood down for the evening, the call came again, this time we were tasked by PSNI for a high-risk vulnerable missing person in the Belfast City Centre area. After extensive searches and some investigation work, CRS located the person safe and well.
Through every tasking, every search, every patrol, one thing remains at the centre of it all: bringing someone home and supporting families in their darkest hours.
As always, our thoughts remain with those who are missing and their family and friends at this extremely difficult time.
The Community Rescue Service - helping keep our communities safe!
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