SUPPORTERS of the Save Our Lifesavers coastguard campaign have the chance to take to the streets and make themselves heard.

We are holding a campaign Walk of Support on Saturday, September 3 in which we want as many people as possible to walk through Weymouth town centre with us and join the fight to bring the coastguard supercentre to this area.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council will be supporting the walk.

Participants should meet at Weymouth Pavilion at 10.50am for an 11am start, when we will walk to Weymouth harbourside to show our support for the hard-working coastguards outside Portland Coastguard Station.

The walk will then follow a route along St Thomas Street and St Mary Street in Weymouth town centre on to Greenhill Gardens, where campaign figureheads will address the walkers.

Walkers will then return to Weymouth Pavilion for a 1pm finish.

Campaign supporter South Dorset MP Richard Drax is urging people to join the walk.

He said: “This will be a good opportunity for the people of both Weymouth and Portland, and of course for the many others who rely on the coastguard to keep a motherly eye on them, whether on land or sea, to show their support for this idea to locate the new supercentre here in our town.”

Council leader Mike Goodman said he wants to encourage as many people as possible to attend the walk.

He said: “The council is working to make the case for the Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) to locate its coastguard supercentre in Weymouth and Portland.

“I am delighted to be working in partnership with the Dorset Echo to help highlight that there is strong local support for this very worthy cause and would like to encourage as many people as possible to attend the walk.”

Impact Signs in Weymouth made a banner for the walk.

Owner Jason Fry said it was important to show support for the coastguards.

He said: “It’s a very good cause. The most important thing in the world is someone’s life. In making cuts to the coastguard they are putting lives at risk. As a company it’s important for us to back it.”

For more information about Impact Signs call 01305 767633.

How you can help the campaign

EVERYONE is invited to the walk – we want anyone of any age to take part, from families with young children to pensioners.

If you are not able to walk all of the route, come and join us at the beginning of the walk or for the speeches at Greenhill Gardens at 12.15pm and pledge your support.

We would like to hear from as many people as possible who will be at the walk.

Email joanna.davis@dorset echo.co.uk or call 01305 830982 and tell her why you are taking part.

You can also join our Facebook group by searching for ‘Portland Coastguard’ or by following links that can be found on the Dorset Echo Facebook page.

Let us know through the page if you are taking part in the walk.

Our petition is available to download from the Echo website or fill out the coupon and send it to the Dorset Echo office at the Granby Industrial Estate in Weymouth or the Dorchester office in Antelope Walk.

Readers can request a paper copy of the petition by calling Catherine Bolado on 01305 830985.

To read more about the campaign visit dorsetecho.co.uk/campaigns /save_our_lifesavers/