Celebrating the RNLI family, past and present

120 years at Walmer

Walmer Lifeboat Station is celebrating the dedication of three volunteers who, between them, have over 120 years
of service. Boathouse Manager Les Coe was presented with a bar to his 50-year badge after serving the station for 62 years. During the last six decades, his roles have included head launcher, D class helm, all-weather lifeboat crew, and shore crew.
Les’ son Andrew was also given an award for his commitment to the station after 30 years of volunteering. Andrew is a helm for the station’s B and D class lifeboats, as well as a mechanic for the D class.
Chris Brophy was honoured for an impressive 30 years at the station. He’s been part of both the all-weather and inshore lifeboat crews and is the mechanic for the station’s tractor and carriage. Congratulations and our deepest gratitude to Les, Andrew and Chris for their unwavering dedication to saving lives at sea.

Hitting the high Cs

Calshot Lifeboat Station will soon be celebrating a special anniversary: 50 years of saving lives
at sea. As part of the celebrations, they’ve set up a children’s choir to perform at local events in 2020. The choir is made up of 12 children, aged between 2 and 12 years old, whose parents are on the crew at Calshot. ‘We sing and play games – and do crafts and activities too! It’s been a great way to get families more involved with the station – and raise our profile within the community,’ says Helen Sharples, who volunteers at the station. We’re wishing the choir all the best with their performances – we hope they enjoy their year of celebrations!

Lifesaving DNA in Galway

During a Macnas parade in Galway, five teenagers rescued a man from the River Corrib. Brendan, Dara, Niall, Samuel and Seán were on the river in an inflatable boat, getting ready to watch the parade. Seán’s uncle, Galway Crew Member Dave Oliver, had just come off duty when he heard the crowd shouting that there was a man in the water. He made his way down to the pier and called down to his nephew and his friends. Seán, a member of the Galway Sea Scouts, leaped into action. It was dark and noisy, but the teenagers found the man and pulled him into their boat. It was a cold night and the man was quickly taken to hospital, where he made a full recovery.

Crew remembered

St Ives lifeboat crew are pictured just before heading out to sea to lay wreaths in remembrance of the lost crew of 1939. The lifeboat capsized three times during a service in a violent gale. Seven of the eight crew members were lost. There was one survivor, William Freeman. It was his first shout. Today’s Coxswain, Rob Cocking, whose great grandfather and great uncle died that night, says: ‘Every one of those men should be remembered always for what they gave and sacrificed that night. I know that I will always remember.’

Celebrating life

Join us in remembering our RNLI Family members who have recently passed away.

Terence Baldwin – December 2018 Former Surveyor of Machinery
Michael Blower – August 2018 Chairman and Committee Member at Leamington Spa Fundraising Branch
Charles Boyle – July 2018 Former Mechanic at Arranmore Lifeboat Station
Rod Buckland – December 2018 Former HGV Driver
Angus Campbell – October 2018 Former Lifeboat Medical Adviser and Deputy Launching Authority at Arran Lifeboat Station
John Dare – October 2018 Former Coxswain at Plymouth Lifeboat Station
Joan Durrant – November 2018 Lifelong supporter of Chesterfield Fundraising Branch
John Farnhill – September 2018 Former Corporate Fundraising Manager
David Faulkner – November 2018 Former Mechanic at Porthdinllaen Lifeboat Station
Judith Gregory – March 2018 Chair of Trowbridge and Bradford-on-Avon Branch
Margaret Hill – October 2018 Former member of Leeds Branch
Ben Hirst – December 2018 Crew Member at Rhyl Lifeboat Station
Paul Jacquet – November 2018 Former staff member at Headquarters
William Jones – December 2018 Former Coxswain at Holyhead Lifeboat Station
Mollie Kingham – June 2018 Fundraiser and member of the Lifeboat Enthusiasts’ Society
Rodney Mortlock – July 2018 Member of the Lifeboat Enthusiasts’ Society and Modelling Consultant
Charles Sharp – September 2018 Former Crew Member at Cardigan Lifeboat Station
Betty Skiggs – November 2018 Committee Member at Bexhill-on-Sea Branch
John Stride – October 2018 Former Divisional Electronics Engineer
Richard Widman – January 2019 Treasurer of Crowthorne and Wokingham Branch
Keith Wilson – September 2018 Presenter and Volunteer at Kettering Fundraising Branch

Words: Nikki McMullen
Photos: RNLI/(Ed Benson, Calshot, Christopher Winslade)