Steve Atkinson (pictured above) has been equally willing in his training. A tractor driver at New Quay lifeboat station, Cardiganshire, he moved to Burnham for work and was accepted as a lifeboat shore helper in 2003. However, when he applied to join the crew, disappointment came – he found his eyesight didn’t meet the RNLI’s standards. Not to be deterred, Steve went for laser eye surgery until finally, in July 2006 and after six years of perseverance, his dream to become a lifeboat crew member came true..