This follows the presentation of the Brian Hockey Award for services to lifesaving 2016-17 to the Guernsey Surf School.
It was presented to head coach Nick Hill, by the society's Brian Aplin and treasurer Richard Williamson, at its base at Vazon.
The school received the award as during 2016, and in previous years, the instructors at the surf school have competed the highest level of lifeguard training and have been proactive in keeping Vazon a safe place to swim and surf.
The award is in honour of Brian Hockey who did a lot to promote lifesaving in the 1980s and 1990s.
Mr Aplin said: 'The nature of lifesaving has now changed so that survive and save with an emphasis on self, team, casualty is more important than jumping in and becoming a statistic, as has been seen with so many incidents where the rescuer has drowned. Last summer was particularly tragic with many fatalities in coastal waters around the UK.
'The island has a good record of drowning prevention with schools and clubs providing training and awareness to the many children who continue the beach and sea culture of Guernsey, often on their own and away from adult supervision. Yet, the number of near misses is probably much higher than we realise and it is the quick thinking and actions of trained people who prevent a mishap becoming a drowning statistic.'
