Home · Support Us

Support HilbreTides

We're a free safety tool for anyone walking to Hilbre Island. Here's how you can help us keep it that way.

Why We Do This

Every year, people get cut off by the tide at Hilbre Island. The RNLI and Coastguard are called out to rescue walkers who didn't realise how fast the water comes in. Some of these situations are genuinely dangerous.

We built HilbreTides to fix that. A simple, free tool that tells you whether it's safe to cross right now, and when the next safe window is. No sign-ups, no paywalls, no ads cluttering the screen when you need a quick answer.

That's not going to change. The safety information will always be free.

Our promise: Safe crossing times, tide data, and safety warnings will never be behind a paywall. If it could save someone from getting stranded, it stays free.

What It Costs to Run

Running a live tide data service isn't free, even if using it is. Here's what keeps HilbreTides going:

Data & Hosting

  • Admiralty UK Tidal API access
  • Weather data feeds
  • Server hosting & bandwidth
  • Domain & SSL certificates

Development

  • Building new features
  • Keeping data accurate
  • Mobile & accessibility testing
  • Safety calculations & updates

We're a small, independent project. We don't have a company behind us or a marketing budget. Just a genuine desire to make the walk to Hilbre safer for everyone.

Sponsorship & Local Partnerships

If you're a local business in West Kirby, Hoylake, or the wider Wirral, partnering with HilbreTides is a great way to reach visitors to the area while supporting a community safety project.

Why Partner With Us?

  • Targeted audience: Visitors actively planning a trip to Hilbre Island and the Wirral coastline
  • Community goodwill: Your brand is associated with keeping people safe, not just selling
  • Local relevance: Cafés, outdoor shops, accommodation, and activity providers are a natural fit
  • Transparent impact: Your support directly covers running costs — nothing more, nothing less

What Sponsorship Looks Like

We keep it simple and tasteful. No pop-ups, no intrusive banners, no data tracking. Sponsorship is designed to complement the site, not distract from it.

  • "Proudly supported by" section with your logo and a link to your website
  • A brief description of your business that's genuinely useful to visitors
  • Placement that feels helpful, not sales-y — like a local recommendation

We're open to different arrangements depending on what works for your business. The goal is always the same: keep HilbreTides running, keep it free, and keep people safe.

Interested?

If you're a local business interested in supporting HilbreTides, or if you just want to chat about how you can help, we'd love to hear from you.

Email: [email protected]

Get in Touch
Other Ways to Help

Not a business? You can still help HilbreTides:

  • Share the site with anyone planning a walk to Hilbre — the more people who check the tides, the fewer rescues needed
  • Report issues — if something looks wrong or could be clearer, let us know
  • Spread the word in local Facebook groups, walking forums, or anywhere Hilbre comes up in conversation
In an emergency

Call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.