'We have a call out about every eight or nine days and we've been out in some terrible conditions. The worst I can remember was when we were called to a ship that had tipped over because the cargo it was carrying had shifted in the hull. The wind was blowing at 120mph - it was horrible. In those conditions, lifeboatmen do get seasick.

It has only been five years or so since we have been doing formal structured training. Before that there were no records. It has definitely improved the way we operate.

We train at least once every two weeks. There is a lot to learn, from first aid to using the navigational equipment. This station was one of the pilot stations that tested the new training. We got the first materials and were asked what we thought so we picked holes in it and together we worked to make it better.

It's very expensive to train people and it doesn't capture people's imaginations as much as the rescues, but without training the rescue wouldn't take place.

It's all very hands on. We have teachers come around to instruct us and we have to take exams too. The volunteers get even more out of being with the lifeboat because we can use these qualifications in everyday life.

Like a football team, you can all be good individually but you need to perform well together. That's what so much of the training is about.' Coxswain Alan Tarby of Padstow, a lifeboatman for 28 years, was interviewed by Lucy Cockcroft of the Western Morning News.Train one, save many This simple message speaks volumes about the RNLI's volunteers - and it is the focus of the Institution's biggest ever national campaign For the RNLI's lifeboat crews, it's not 'if the call comes but 'when'. For some, this may be several times a day or a week, for others once a month.

Their busy time may be during the devastating gales of winter or the sultry summer months.

But all of them know that, when they hear the call, they will immediately drop everything to rescue those in peril on the sea.

No one would expect a pilot to take off at a moment's notice without full and current understanding of their plane, how to fly it and how to keep safe - the same is true for lifeboat crew.Training must be thorough, regular and up to date to meet the vagaries of weather, tide and swell and the complexity of modern boats and equipment. However, this is where the parallel ends. The image of a fighter pilot is stereotypically aspirational as only the chosen few can make the grade. In contrast, the RNLI is renowned for its ability to take ordinary people and help turn them into the extraordinary.

Becoming extraordinary These days, fewer than 10 per cent of crew members come from a professional maritime background, so the skills in which they need to be trained begin with basic boat handling and navigation.They are then introduced to the RNLI's fleet of rescue craft. How are they to operate them, in extreme conditions, or in the dark? How are they to keep themselves and their colleagues safe so that they are able to rescue others in the worst of situations? And what if their own engine were to fail - could they repair it at sea? Practical skills are nothing without the appliance of good judgement and effective team work. These too are developed through training, until a fully fledged crew member or lifeguard is able to face the unexpected with confidence.

One vital ingredient remains - that of selfless bravery. This is one attribute thatcannot be taught. Rather, RNLI volunteers bring it with them, along with amazing enthusiasm and commitment. Training takes place in the evenings and at weekends locally or time is taken off to attend The Lifeboat College in Poole, Dorset. The RNLI must meet this commitment by offering the highest-quality and best-equipped training in return. The question is: what does it all cost? Counting the cost The time RNLI volunteers give freely to their training means that the organisation can devote its funds to facilities, equipment and other material resources. Here are some examples: • £100 supplies a full set of training manuals to a lifeboat station; • £380 pays for a crew member to take the accredited Coastal Skipper exam; • £1,300 allows a new volunteer to train up to full crew member status; • £2,900 equips a mechanic with the skills to keep an all weather lifeboat in a constant state of readiness; • £5,200 takes a new recruit, over several years, through to becoming a coxswain in charge of a lifeboat and crew.

These figures must be multiplied many times to find the total cost, as the RNLI operates 233 lifeboat stations, patrols 59 beaches and has more than 4,000 lifeboat crew, beach lifeguards and shore helpers (see page 7).

About 700 paid full-timers support them through a divisional office network, headquarters and The Lifeboat College. So we come to an estimate of the total cost of keeping all the RNLI's volunteers fully trained and in a state of readiness of £4M every year - that's an average of £1,000 per crew member per year.

Finding the funds As with all its costs, the RNLI relies on voluntary contributions and legacies to pay for training and so, over the years, regional appeals specifically for training have been a regular feature of RNLI fundraising. The Institution has now decided to build on these and expand the campaign on a national scale. This national'RNLI crew training campaign' was announced at the ACM on 19 May (see page 2). The imagery and message are bold and clear: train one lifeboat crew member and they will go on to save many - but without adequate training they will risk their own lives and will fail in their mission to save others.

To find out how you can help, phone the RNLI helpdesk on 0845 121 4999 and look out for the form on the address sheet with this magazine. Thank you..