Your guide to what's been going on in the world of the RNLI CEO retirement

Words: Anna Burn. Photos: Richie Leonard, RNLI/ (Harrison Bates, Nigel Millard, Nathan Williams)

CEO retirement

The RNLI’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Paul Boissier, has confirmed his long-held plans to retire in 2019. Paul says: ‘For the last 10 years I have had the privilege of serving as the chief executive of this brave and historic charity. In an uncertain world, we have continued to provide an outstanding service to the public, while modernising the organisation itself and strengthening the RNLI for any challenges that may lie ahead. ‘During this period, I have had the opportunity to meet and work with some of the most impressive and quietly courageous people that I have ever met. The job has been challenging, humbling and heart-warming in equal measure, and I now look forward to handing the mantle to my successor – someone who will help the RNLI continue its noble lifesaving work into the future.’ Paul plans to leave the RNLI this summer, and we hope to announce his successor in the spring issue.

THROWLINES TO SAVE LIVES WORLDWIDE

Set to save lives across the world, a brand new low-cost throwline is taking on the global drowning epidemic. A step-by-step guide to producing the throwline is published in the Rescue Throwline Manual. Designed and produced by an RNLI team led by International Programme Manager John Powell, the manual has the support of key partners including Bournemouth University; the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh; and the Little Sewing Company in Christchurch, Dorset. Published online in September, the manual has already been used by Seasafe lifeguards in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, to create 200 throwlines. Worldwide, drowning claims the lives of an estimated 360,000 people every year – many of them children. In Bangladesh, this amounts to approximately 18,000 childhood deaths each year. John says: ‘We are delighted to see the manual already being used to create these throwlines. As well as producing a vital, low-cost lifesaving resource, the manual helps to support a community’s economy, as local tailors can be used to produce the throwlines.

HELLY HANSEN KIT ON SERVICE

The roll-out of the new Helly Hansen RNLI crew clothing has begun, with volunteers at Kirkwall Lifeboat Station in Scotland being the first all-weather crew to don the new kit. Specially designed with the RNLI to ensure it meets the demanding needs of our volunteer crews, the new clothing uses state-of-the-art waterproof and breathable fabrics to keep crew warm and dry. It’s light but strong, with reinforcement in key areas and a technical layering system that allows crew to adapt to any weather. Weymouth Crew Member Alice Higgins was one of 60 crew from 6 stations across the UK and Ireland to trial the new gear. She says: ‘The new all-weather lifeboat kit is absolutely fantastic. It’s much lighter than the old kit and the breathable fabric is ideal for the more demanding tasks we often need to carry out.’

Lifeboat Enthusiasts’ Society Handbook 2019

This 106-page handbook is the most complete guide available to lifeboat stations, lifeboats, hovercraft and launching vehicles. It includes an after-service list of retired all-weather lifeboats, showing last-reported locations – some have found new leases of life as wildlife tour boats and even holiday homes! The perfect companion for visits to the coast. Out now for £6.50, including postage. Send a cheque made payable to ‘RNLI’ to: Tony Denton, Dawn, Upper Battlefield, Shrewsbury, SY4 4AA.

SAVING LIVES AT SEA: SERIES 3

Did you catch us on TV this autumn? Here’s what happened when Saving Lives at Sea series 3 aired on BBC:

WEBSITE VISITS IN AN HOUR PEAKED AT 2.2M PEOPLE

1.68M VIEWERS PER EPISODE

2.2M PEOPLE REACHED ON SOCIAL MEDIA

VOLUNTEERING EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST UP 186%

136,000 PEOPLE TUNED IN TO FACEBOOK LIVE INTERVIEWS