When He Retired, Nick Chose to Become a First Responder

Photo Credit: Kenton-on-Sea & Boesmans Tourism

Nick is spending his retirement years focused on giving back in one of the most meaningful ways – helping his Kenton community.

Kenton-on-Sea, South Africa (10 March 2026) – Nick Albrightson has spent a lifetime pushing his limits.

Twenty-one Comrades Marathons. Two Washies – the gruelling 160 km run from Port Alfred to East London. Two Dusi Canoe Marathons. The Midmar Mile. The Amashova Cycle Race from Pietermaritzburg to Durban. Three completions of the Mont Aux Sources 50 km Challenge. He even walked the Comrades route.

By any measure, it’s a remarkable list. But when Nick reflects on those years of endurance sport, it’s not the finish lines he talks about first – it’s the people who cheered him on along the way.

“These were some of the toughest challenges I’ve taken on, and I mention them because none of them were done alone. Along the way I was always supported by people who generously gave their time, encouragement, and help to see me through.” says Nick.

So when retirement arrived – or as Nick calls it, his “permanent holiday” – he found himself asking how he could give back.

“After retiring, I asked myself how I could give back to the community. The answer felt obvious: becoming an accredited First Responder with Gardmed.”

Now Nick serves as Head of the First Responder Team for Coastal Kindness, a volunteer-driven NPO based on the Sunshine Coast that focuses on community health and wellbeing. It works alongside local medical services and volunteers to strengthen healthcare and emergency response across the Kenton area with training, education and practical support.

It’s a mission that has been at their core since the very beginning, when COVID shook the world and brought out its helpers.

Kenton-on-Sea & Boesmans Tourism, who have shined a bright light on the organisation and volunteers like Nick, recognise the careful, life-saving work that goes into being a dedicated first responder.

“First Responders are often the first on scene in an accident or medical emergency, providing immediate care and support until advanced medical help – such as a paramedic or doctor – arrives. Their role can include assessing and stabilising patients, performing CPR or using an AED if needed, controlling bleeding, treating injuries, and offering reassurance to patients and their families in difficult moments.”

One of the greatest things about helpers coming together, is the community that forms in the process. That sense of connection is something Nick values deeply.

“One of the things I value most is the camaraderie among our First Responders. We support one another, freely share our time, skills, and resources, and work together for the greater good. It’s an incredible community to be part of, and I’m proud to serve.”

When the post went up celebrating Coastal Kindness and their community champion, that gratitude extended in the comments section, where suddenly, organisations and community members across town hopped in to honour Nick. Not only has he committed to his role as a first responder, his helping hands go far beyond…

He has volunteered in keeping the surrounding coast and its estuaries cared for, he has helped maintain road verges and collected trash along roadsides, and he has assisted his local Rotary Club! Thanks to people like him, who freely give their time, a community has better backup when it matters most.