RNLI Lifeboat Magazine - Summer 2024 Issue

FROM FACTORY FLOOR TO LIFEBOAT LAUNCH IN 6 STEPS

PLUS: CAUGHT IN A STORM You make a difference in their darkest hour

CELEBRATIONS! You’re invited to our anniversary events

RECORD BREAKER Meet the longest-serving lifeguard in the world

SUMMER 2024 ISSUE 648

© RNLI 2024. All rights reserved. Reproduction is permitted with the prior consent of the RNLI. Opinions expressed by authors are not necessarily those of the publishers. Care is taken to ensure that editorial information is correct at the time of going to press but is subject to change.

Chair: Janet Legrand OBE KC (Hon)

Chief Executive: Mark Dowie Lifeboat Editor: Bethany Hope Lifeboat Design: Lee Hawkins, Emily Scott, David Constant Photo (bottom right): RNLI/Nathan Williams

Front cover photograph: Shannon class lifeboat Cosandra –built at the RNLI’s All-weather Lifeboat Centre, RNLI/Nathan Williams

Contact us

If you have any enquiries – or would prefer not to receive Lifeboat magazine – please email us at: supporterexperience@rnli.org.uk . Alternatively, please call 0300 300 9990 (from the UK), 01 511 9836 (from Ireland) or +44 1202 663234 (from any other country), or write to us at RNLI Support Centre, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1HZ.

Blind and partially sighted people can choose to receive a free CD or mp3 of the magazine

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is the charity that saves lives at sea. We do so by providing a rescue service, safety education, and supervision on beaches. We also influence other organisations, policy-makers and regulators. Our crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives since the RNLI was formed in 1824. Our Water Safety Team helps keep people safe at the coast and our International Team works to reduce drowning around the world where it’s a major risk. We are independent from government and rely on voluntary contributions and gifts in Wills for income. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution, a charity registered in England and Wales (209603), Scotland (SC037736), the Republic of Ireland (CHY 2678 and 20003326), the Bailiwick of Jersey (14), the Isle of Man (1308 and 006329F), the Bailiwick of Guernsey and Alderney

Bethany Hope, Editor Email: lifeboat@rnli.org.uk

Welcome

Celebrating today’s crew

If you’re new to the RNLI, thank you for joining us and if you’ve been with us a while, thank you too. You’ll know that 2024 is a special year for your RNLI crew. We’re marking 200 years of lifesaving with events and activities throughout the year … and you’re invited (page 4).

In this issue of Lifeboat, we celebrate today’s lifesavers. Meet Lifeguard Chris who is now officially the holder of a Guinness World Record, Lifeboat Crew Member Fiona whose passion is rugby, and Crew Members Eoin and Mick who both lost relatives on the Fethard lifeboat.

Turn to page 8 for dramatic rescue stories, plus you can pick up some safety tips as we share the lessons learned by the people we save.

And if you love lifeboats, you’re in for a treat on page 18, where you can go inside the factory to see how we make a Shannon class lifeboat.

Thank you so much for being part of the RNLI crew. I hope you’ll join us for some special anniversary events this summer –

RNLI 200 News

Goodbye Mark

On 26 June we say farewell to Mark Dowie, Chief Executive of the RNLI. Mark joined the RNLI as Chief Executive in May 2019 and has been the right leader at the right time.

The past 5 years have been a turbulent time – dealing with the pandemic, rising inflation, a significant increase in demand, and heightened public scrutiny, especially in response to small boat crossings in the Channel. Mark has stayed true to the RNLI’s purpose throughout, generating amazing support, income, sector-wide recognition, and new heights of brand awareness. He has much to be proud of, not least maintaining a 24/7 rescue service throughout and bringing the RNLI’s people together as one crew. Mark hands over the reins to Peter Sparkes, former chief executive of the UK Hydrographic Office. Find out more about Peter in the next edition of Lifeboat.

So much is happening this year to commemorate our 200th anniversary. On 4 March, a moving service at Westminster Abbey kicked off our thanksgiving services. Plus the Connecting our Communities scroll, kindly sponsored by Ford, started its journey. You can see the scroll as it travels around our coasts until October.

We’re inspiring the next generation of supporters, with family-friendly exhibitions and the Storm Force Rescue game. Sailing clubs are unfurling their sails with All Hands on Deck fundraising events, kindly sponsored by GJW Direct, while festivals and open days

bring out the bunting. We’d love to see you there.

Don’t miss the collective One Moment One Crew event on 1 August – we’ll all be marking a moment in time at exactly 18:24 on 1.8.24.

You can also commemorate 200 years of lifesaving with one of our fantastic RNLI 200 souvenir items (see back page).

However you’re celebrating, we’re so grateful to have you with us. A special thank you goes to the members of the RNLI 200 Club who have funded anniversary events and activities. Find out about events happening near you at RNLI.org/200.

A special day for all the RNLI family at Westminster Abbey

Farewell to RNLI Chief Executive Mark Dowie

Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024

This 132-page handbook from the Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society is the most complete guide available for lifeboat stations and lifeboats. It includes after-service listings of retired all-weather lifeboats and a list of independent lifeboat stations. The perfect companion for lifeboat lovers on visits to the coast.

Available now for £7, including postage. Send a cheque made payable to ‘RNLI’ to: LBES Publications, 44 Nunsfield Road, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 7BN. Visit lifeboatenthusiasts.com to learn more about the society or how to become a member.

200 years of legacy lifesaving

In 2025, Gifts in Wills will have been powering the RNLI for 200 years. In 1825, John Henry Hecker from London left a generous gift of £1,000 – worth almost £96,000 today. It would have been used wherever it was needed most, and was enough to fund around seven lifeboats. A gift in your Will is our crew’s protection at sea, then and now. Visit RNLI.org/GiftsInWills to find out more.

2023 in numbers

355 LIVES SAVED BY RNLI CREWS AND LIFEGUARDS

9,192 LIFEBOAT LAUNCHES

22 NEW LIFEBOATS CONSTRUCTED

5,557 CREW ATTENDED TRAINING SESSIONS DELIVERED BY RNLI COLLEGE TEAMS

In brief

Record-breaking lifesaving

Congratulations to RNLI Lifeguard Chris Lewis, who has been awarded a Guinness World Record for being the longest-serving lifeguard in the world. Involved with lifeguarding since he was 16, Chris has been a member of Bournemouth Lifeguards for 58 years – a lifetime of lifesaving!

AGM coming soon

A reminder for RNLI Governors that our 2024 annual general meeting (AGM) takes place at 2pm on Thursday 20 June 2024 at 30 Euston Square, London. For more information, visit RNLI.org/AGM

Lifesaving women

For this year’s International Women’s Day, the RNLI held a special 2-day Women in SAR (search and rescue) conference for female crew members to celebrate their achievements and inspire new volunteers to get involved at their local station.

Saved by stamps

118,485

SCHOOLCHILDREN GIVEN WATER SAFETY ADVICE BY RNLI LIFEGUARDS

Thousands of UK supporters added their own stamp when they kindly donated by post last year. The impact is a huge saving of around £62,000 –enough to fund a year’s training for 44 crew members. Thank you!

Photos: RNLI/(Grahame Farr collection, Nathan Williams)

The lifeboat Zetland, in operation during Hecker’s lifetime

Community

Welcome to a selection of news from your RNLI community. For all the latest from where you are, head to RNLI.org/news

Shout and sing

A group of three Irish friends have banded together to write and produce a song called The Shout, honouring lifeboat volunteers throughout the RNLI. The song is raising vital funds and awareness of our lifesaving work in our 200th anniversary year.

Eamon O’Brien, Bill Shanley and Ed Jackson – known collectively as The Islands Project – took their inspiration from the term lifeboat volunteers use for a search and rescue call out. The Shout takes listeners on a journey around Ireland and the UK, name checking many of our lifeboat stations, including Dun Laoghaire and Castletownbere in Ireland, and Cowes, Cromer, Llandudno and Stornoway.

Eamon says: ‘I would love people who listen to this song to think about the incredible service the RNLI provides and consider donating to the charity to support their work.’

The Shout is available on Spotify, YouTube and other major music platforms.

The art of lifesaving

A huge mural has been unveiled in Exmouth to mark 200 years of RNLI lifesaving and to honour Exmouth volunteers, past and present. Local artist Gary ‘Gar’ Cook created the Manchester Road mural over 5 months, with kind permission from Haldon House Surgery and generous donations from 26 local businesses. It proudly depicts a lifeboat crew member and the R and J Welburn

Shannon class all-weather lifeboat cutting through waves. Gary says: ‘It’s a privilege to be involved with the RNLI in Exmouth and an exciting challenge for me to paint this mural. A painting this size is tricky but also the several storms that have passed by this month didn’t help. But it did make me think how courageous you have to be to head out to a rescue at sea in this weather.’

Photos: Tinman Photography/Neil Buckland, Rob Oliver, RNLI/(Ian Bateman, Niamh Stephenson)

Mural marks 200 years of the charity

The Islands Project with Dun Laoghaire RNLI

Events

Advanced sea kayak leader and professional guide Amy Apple Goulden has organised a unique paddling event, the Hatty Regatty, to raise lifesaving funds for the RNLI.

Seven years ago, Amy began knitting hats to warm the heads of her sea kayaking friends and raise money for the RNLI. As word spread, demand grew, and now nearly a thousand hats warm the heads of

Paddle proceeds Derby revival

St

sea kayakers around coasts as far afield as Australia. So far, around £1,500 in lifesaving funds has been raised.

For Hatty Regatty, 30 kayakers donned Amy’s hats and took to the water, donating to participate. In all, a further fantastic £1,575 was raised. Amy says: ‘I’m doing this because if I ever need to call on the RNLI, I want to know I’ve done something for them.’

Following a nearly 40-year hiatus, the once-loved St Bees Soapbox Derby has been revived by a dedicated committee.

Teams set off from the top of the village in fancy dress, racing through seven challenging pit stops along the route, with two volunteer crew members among the competitors. The derby was sponsored by C Sharpe Roofing

and raised £410 each for the RNLI, Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association, and local charity Jude Jackson.

St Bees Lifeboat Operations Manager Dick Deddows says: ‘We’d like to thank the organisers for their hard work in bringing back a much-loved village tradition with the added bonus of raising funds for three brilliant charities.’

Amgueddfa Cymru –Museum Wales –free exhibitions:

Courage and Community

National Waterfront Museum, Swansea

Saturday 22 June 2024–Sunday 16 March 2025, 10am–5pm

Making Waves

Oriel y Parc, St Davids

Saturday 29 June 2024–Sunday 1 June 2025, 10am–4pm RNLI.org/museumsLB

RNLI Union Hall

Swim 2024

Glandore Harbour, Co Cork

Sunday 28 July 2024, 10.45am–2.30pm

Union Hall RNLI’s 10th annual swim, with 1km and 2km routes available. Register in advance – €35 on eventbrite.com

RNLI Clovelly to Appledore Walk

Clovelly Visitor Centre, Devon

Saturday 7 September 2024, 9am start

Join us for the popular walk from Clovelly to Appledore Lifeboat Station, a distance of 16 miles on the stunning South West Coastal Path. Register in advance at eventbrite.co.uk .

GET INVOLVED

To find more events coming up in your area, including lifeboat open days, head to RNLI.org/events .

Amy Apple Goulden (centre) presents Trearddur Bay lifeboat volunteers with the money raised from Hatty Regatty

Bees Soapbox Derby, back in the day

RESCUE STORIES

As a supporter, you are helping our lifeboat crews and lifeguards carry out thousands of rescues every year. Here are some highlights, and you can read full accounts of other rescues on pages:

6 NEWHAVEN | PAGE 10

7 GODREVY BEACH | PAGE 14

8 WICK | PAGE 16 7 8

For more rescue stories, head to RNLI.org/rescues

SLIPPERY ROCKS

NEWBIGGIN | 20 NOVEMBER 2023

An angler needed urgent help when he slipped on jagged rocks near a breakwater. Newbiggin RNLI volunteers launched into powerful winds, with their only option to approach the casualty head-on to the weather. Two crew climbed onto the rocks, administered pain relief and secured a possible fracture. With the help of additional crew and coastguard teams they carefully transferred the casualty to the lifeboat and took him safely ashore.

WINCHED TO SAFETY

PORTRUSH | 3 DECEMBER 2023

When a personal locator beacon was activated from a boat in Lough Foyle, our all-weather lifeboat crew launched to help. Other emergency services joined the search and, on the way, our lifesavers learned that the boat

TATTERED

SAILS

NEW QUAY AND ABERYSTWYTH |

9 JANUARY 2024

New Quay RNLI had their first shout of 2024 when a yacht, 18 miles offshore with three people onboard, lost power in a gale. With torn sails, the vessel had no propulsion and was drifting rapidly. The safest option was to tow it to the nearest harbour. Enduring heavy weather for several hours, the lifesavers got the yacht to Aberystwyth, where their local RNLI crew mates secured it alongside.

had sunk, leaving four people in the water. Once located, the casualties were recovered by Greencastle Coast Guard and transferred to the lifeboat, where they were winched onboard a search and rescue helicopter.

FALLEN WALKERS

STONEHAVEN | 8 FEBRUARY 2024

Inshore lifeboat volunteers launched when two walkers fell near cliffs at Todhead. With rocks surrounding the base of the cliffs, it was unsafe for the lifeboat to get in too close. So, two crew members swam ashore, where they assessed the casualties and provided medical care. One casualty was later airlifted to an ambulance on the clifftop; the other was flown directly to hospital.

EMERGENCY EXTRACTION

SKEGNESS | 16 DECEMBER 2023

Lifesavers launched when a vessel with two people onboard hit a sandbank and started taking on water. An RNLI crew member boarded the boat with a salvage pump, but found that the vessel was in immediate danger of sinking. Coxswain Lee St Quinton swiftly manoeuvred the all-weather lifeboat alongside to evacuate the boat. Carefully navigating out of the shallows, the lifeboat crew then brought the two people safely ashore.

Photos: RNLI/(Anna Carlton, Richard Martin, New Quay, Portrush, Nick Walton)

IN THE FACE OF NATURE’S FURY

Driving rain, squally conditions. All in a night’s work for Newhaven lifeboat crew

Words: James Dwyer

Half past midnight. Lewis Arnold, Coxswain at Newhaven Lifeboat Station, was at home when his pager went off. ‘The weather was horrendous. Howling wind and sideways rain.’

Lewis headed to the station. As he made his way, he used the RNLI’s pager app to see who was available and choose his crew. ‘Picking the crew is tough as you always get those who are sad that they haven’t been out for ages. It’s the worst part of the job. I didn’t know what the shout was at this point, so I chose a mix of trainees and experienced crew.’

Among Lewis’s six crew members were three trainees, including Claire Townsend and Sam Smith. ‘Weather was blowing a huge storm. Absolutely dreadful,’ says Sam. ‘I’d been up late watching the storm because it was so violent.’

‘Some of us had been at work all day, been in bed for an hour and then paged’

Newhaven lifeboat in rough seas

The launching authority provided the crew with more details as they arrived. Two people onboard a yacht had made an urgent call for help. They’d lost power and were taking on water. Their exact location was unknown, but they were reported to be near Cuckmere Haven. They were in desperate need of help.

Biblical conditions

The crew launched Newhaven’s Severn class lifeboat David and Elizabeth Acland As soon as they left the shelter of the harbour, the full force of the storm hit the lifeboat. ‘It was a biblical thunderstorm,’ says Lewis. ‘Torrential rain, high winds. 45–50 knots of wind the whole way.’

The crew prepared the search equipment – image intensifiers and searchlights. Sam was sent up to the upper steering position to start the search.

‘It was a biblical thunderstorm. Torrential rain, high winds’

‘It was the most spectacular weather that I’ve been out in,’ says Sam. ‘It was pitch black, so you couldn’t see the waves,

only feel them as you go over. Now and then, lightning would hit the sea and illuminate the whole area around us. It’s a really dramatic coastline with big cliffs, rocky outfalls. When the lightning hit the sea, it was absolutely spectacular.’

The lightning proved vital. The searchlights were borderline useless – conditions so intense, all they illuminated were the raindrops.

‘Daniel the navigator got us in as close as we could to the search area, to see if we could find the vessel,’ says Lewis. ‘Due to it being pitch black, I couldn’t see any of the coastline at all. Normally you get a shadow or some idea of where you are, but this time I couldn’t see anything apart from when the lightning struck. I said to Daniel: “You stay in the wheelhouse and make sure we’ve got plenty of water around us.”’

Third time lucky

The crew finally spotted the boat being bounced by the waves. Lewis describes the scene: ‘It had deployed its anchor, but looked like it was on a shoestring. We didn’t have long and time was of the essence to get this boat to safety.’

With conditions too intense to launch the Y-boat (small inflatable boat) and,

‘It was absolutely spectacular’

‘Once we got the casualty vessel under tow, I really pinched myself. How many people get to see lightning strike the water up close like this? I felt incredibly lucky to experience it. About an hour after we set up the tow, the weather settled and the sky cleared. There’s no civilisation on shore there and so the place is completely unaffected by light pollution. The scene changed from this spectacular storm to clear sky and a seriously impressive view of the stars. It was quite a remarkable change.’

SAM SMITH CREW MEMBER, NEWHAVEN RNLI

The full force of the storm hit the lifeboat

Crew: 7 (3 trainees)

Service duration: 6 hours

Wind force: 7

Sea state: 2.5–4m (rough)

with the depth of water decreasing all the time, it was decided that a tow was the best option. Claire recalls: ‘I started preparing the lines, faking out the tow rope on the aft deck, making sure the heaving lines were coiled in a way they could be thrown. It was really quite bumpy and the casualty vessel mast was swaying quite violently. We knew getting the line across wouldn’t be the easiest task.’

Having moved to the upper steering position, Lewis manoeuvred the lifeboat as close as he could to the casualty vessel. The crew made two attempts to throw a heaving line across, but the wind sent the ropes spiralling away into darkness. At that moment, the navigation equipment briefly failed, so the crew didn’t have any depth reading. Lewis pulled the boat clear.

Lewis moved the lifeboat in again.

‘The wind had really whipped up,’ says Claire. ‘The rain was coming down in sheets, with lots of movement between the two boats.’

This time Sam threw the heaving line across to the boat where it was caught by one of the casualties onboard. There was no radio, so the crew had to shout across instructions. Thankfully, the man on deck was able to attach the tow rope.

Now secured, the lifeboat pulled the yacht out into deeper water.

‘You don't feel like a hero’

‘I was holding one of the small searchlights over the tow rope, so we could make sure not too much was going in the water,’ says Claire. ‘By then we were feeling really cold. Everyone was soaking wet.’

‘It’s truly a huge privilege to be a part of the crew making a real difference in someone’s darkest hour’

The decision was made to tow the boat towards Eastbourne, into the shelter of the bay. Lewis explains: ‘The weather and the sea state made it difficult to go back to Newhaven and high risk for casualties and crew, so we headed down sea.’

The conditions were taking their toll on the crew. ‘Some of us had been at work all day, been in bed for an hour and then paged,’ says Sam. ‘It was a great relief that Eastbourne crew came out to do the final bit.’

Below left : The cliffs at Cuckmere Haven in calmer, brighter conditions

Below right:

Searchlights from the upper steering position of the Severn

Eastbourne lifeboat crew launched the Trent class Henry Heys Duckworth to tow the casualty the final leg into harbour. The casualty now in their safe hands, Newhaven lifeboat headed for home.

The crew arrived back at the lifeboat station just under 6 hours after they launched. Time for a debrief. ‘We talked about what went well, what didn’t go so well,’ says Lewis. ‘It’s not easy when its rough and its dark. I told them: “You know what guys, you did a good job today”.’

‘It’s the most dramatic coastal rescue I’ve been involved in,’ reflects Sam. ‘There was added time pressure because of the rocks. If we didn’t get the line on the boat, then the boat and the crew would have been at the mercy of the conditions. It was up to us to make sure that didn’t happen. It’s truly a huge privilege to be a part of the crew making a real difference in someone’s darkest hour like we did that night.’

‘With the conditions as they were, it was likely they would have ended up in the sea,’ says Claire. ‘It’s a very humbling thing to save lives. At the time it’s really scary. You don’t feel like a hero, you just do your best. It’s a nice feeling when it pays off.’ ■

Photos: Isabelle Coley, Stephen Duncombe, RNLI/(Sam Carragher, Nigel Millard), Shutterstock/(Melanie Hobson, Manana Sikhatulidze)

All-weather training

The crew at Newhaven are able to train in stormy conditions thanks to their Severn class being berthed in the water. Launching into a storm adds a level of complexity that makes it more difficult to justify a tractor or slipway launch. Being out on the water in bad weather is great preparation for a shout like this. ‘We train in rough weather because it makes the trainees a lot more confident in their own abilities,’ says Lewis.

Safety tips

One of the major challenges of this rescue was locating the casualty. ‘If they had a VHF radio, we could have used a direction finder,’ says Lewis. ‘With just a mobile phone, the Coastguard can get in touch, but we can’t use it to locate them ourselves.’

Passage planning is vital for ensuring a safe trip too. Always check the weather forecast when you plan to go out on the water so you don’t get caught out by the conditions. There’s no shame in waiting for the storm to pass before heading off.

‘They learn to have more trust in the rest of the crew and the boat because they are out using it.’

Sam agrees: ‘The more time I spend on the boat in difficult conditions, the more confident I get. You learn to be resilient in all sorts of weather.’

The launch and training is only possible thanks to your kind support. It turns trainees like Sam and Claire into lifesavers.

Lewis

Claire

Sam

‘I FLOATED

Have you ever wondered what would go through your mind if your life was in danger? Tina West knows the answer to that question

Words: James Dwyer

In late September 2022, Tina was on holiday in Cornwall. ‘It was a beautiful day. So we decided to go down to Godrevy Beach. It was a place we love with the lighthouse and the nature.’

‘I was going for a paddle, to see if I could see the seals. I was enjoying the sunshine and then I realised, when I put my feet down, there was nothing there.’ Tina had been dragged out to sea by a rip current.

‘This is not where I want to be’ ‘I had been pulled out a long way,’ says Tina. ‘I remember looking at the beach, seeing everybody looking like little ants, and thinking this is not where I want to be.’

Tina tried to swim back to shore, but the current kept pushing her

further and further out. ‘There was no way I was going to get back on my own steam.’

Tina started waving her arms and shouting for help, trying to attract attention. Then something triggered in her mind. ‘I remembered the Float to Live campaign. It had been playing on a big screen in Portsmouth near where I worked. I remember watching it a few times.’

The Float to Live technique allowed Tina to stay calm and conserve energy. ‘It probably wasn’t long, but it felt like ages. It allowed me to relax a little bit, shout for help, relax a little bit more. Eventually my husband spotted me and raised the alarm.’

Above left: Tarryn on patrol at the beach. Above right: Rough seas around Gwithian and Godrevy Beach

Right: Tina reunited with Tarryn, the lifeguard who saved her life

TO LIVE’

Thankfully, the pair had chosen a lifeguarded beach. A man ran out to some rocks close to her and shouted that the lifeguards were on their way. ‘I thought, “OK, I can Float to Live.”’

‘Try

and stop me’

Tarryn Brown was lifeguarding at Godrevy Beach that day when the alarm was raised.

‘We launched quickly on the rescue watercraft. I was on the sled on the back. Ant Stewart was driving.’

The location where Tina was caught is notorious for rip currents. ‘We knew her rough location, and it was easy to spot her because she was on her back in the float position,’ says Tarryn. ‘Not only did it keep her calm, but it helped keep us safe, not having to get into danger to rescue her.’

‘I saw a flash of yellow nearby,’ says Tina. ‘The relief I felt knowing

that I was going to be rescued was overwhelming.’

The lifeguards motored over and Tarryn told Tina how to get safely on the sled. Tina didn’t hesitate: ‘I remember the lifeguard asking me if I was OK to get up on the board and I said: “Yes, try and stop me!”’

Safely beside Tarryn, the lifeguards took Tina back to shore where she was reunited with her husband. ‘We did some follow up first aid checks to make sure was OK,’ says Tarryn. ‘Thankfully she hadn’t swallowed too much water. She was all OK.’

‘I’m so grateful for that Float to Live video and the lifeguards who were on the beach,’ says Tina. ‘Float to Live does save lives. It saved mine.’

Tina reunited with Tarryn last summer to help share our lifesaving Float to Live message. Visit RNLI.org/float to watch a video on how to Float to Live. Remember it, share it – it could save a life.

HOW TO FLOAT TO LIVE

1. Tilt your head back with ears submerged

2. Relax and try to breathe normally

3. Move your hands to help you stay afloat

4. It’s OK if your legs sink –we all float differently

5. Spread your arms and legs to improve stability

Photos: Jack Hoare, RNLI/Jimmy Young

‘IT JUST TAKES ONE WRONG CHOICE’

Sheena Thompson got a paddleboard for her 40th birthday and she got caught out one day in the sea near Wick, Caithness. She shares her story to help keep others safe

It was a dry day – a little bit breezy, but it seemed all right, quite calm. We pumped up the paddleboard and got down onto the beach. It was me, my husband and the kids. I had my wetsuit on and I put some lifejackets on the kids. I didn’t have a safety vest on because I was just going to pop out for a minute and try my sea legs, because I hadn’t done it for a year.

I got on the paddleboard and the wind pushed me out very quickly. As soon as you left the shelter of the sand dunes, it became very, very windy.

I shouted to say that I was in trouble, but they couldn’t hear me because the wind was pushing my voice away. I got pushed out into the bay pretty quickly. The tide was coming in, but I couldn’t paddle against the wind.

swim anymore and I wouldn’t have been able to hold onto the board very well if I’d fallen off. So I just lay down on the board flat and I hoped and prayed that someone would see me.

My husband realised that there was something wrong. He spoke to another guy who was walking his dog. He phoned 999 for the Coastguard.

Too tired to sit up or do anything, I just lay flat. I was wearing a black wetsuit against the black sea. I hadn’t appreciated how little they could see of me. It was a fishing vessel that first saw me and pointed me out to the lifeboat crew. Then I heard

‘I just lay down on the board flat and I hoped and prayed that someone would see me’

I saw how far I was out and I figured I could probably swim it. I’m so thankful I didn’t make that decision because I would have definitely drowned. I could have swum that length on a flat calm loch, but I would never have managed to swim it in the sea.

I paddled for about 15 minutes. I wasn’t actually going forward at all. My arms got really tired, sore and I realised that I couldn’t

Sheena on her paddleboard, exhausted from fighting the offshore wind

the chug chug chug and saw the bright orange of the RNLI boat, so I knew I was safe.

They were so kind and friendly and not judgemental at all. It was very helpful when we got back to shore – they pointed out the things that I should have done better. It made me really want to tell other people that paddleboarding is not quite such an innocent sport.

I’m early forties and I think that I’m relatively indestructible, but it just takes one wrong choice really and you can drown. I was very, very, very thankful to the RNLI. There’s not a day goes by that I don’t thank God for them. I would never have survived without them.

You can hear Sheena’s story and other true tales at RNLI.org/200voices.

Top

Bottom

Bottom right: In safe hands

‘Trust in your crew and training’

‘When we launched, there was a real sense of urgency. Don’t get me wrong –the Roy Barker II is fast, but it’s times like this where you feel you cannot make the lifeboat go fast enough. You have to trust in your crew and training. The fishing vessel crew were a huge help in finding her quickly. The feeling of relief was quite something – this could have been significantly worse.’

TOP TIPS FOR PADDLEBOARDING

• Always wear a buoyancy aid.

• Choose the right releasable leash for the location you are paddling.

• Avoid offshore winds, which can quickly blow you and your board out to sea.

• Always carry a means of calling for help, such as a mobile phone in a waterproof pouch. In an emergency, call 999/112 and ask for the coastguard.

For more advice, head to RNLI.org/paddleboard.

Top left: Binoculars at the ready

right: Hard to spot in the choppy seas

left: Sheena is brought alongside

Photos: Phil Broadhurst, RNLI/(Wick, Nathan Williams)

ALAN LIPP

COXSWAIN MECHANIC, WICK RNLI

INSIDE THE LIFEBOAT FACTORY

Welcome to the All-weather Lifeboat Centre. This factory in Poole, Dorset, is where we build our Shannon class lifeboats and maintain the other all-weather lifeboats in our fleet. Teams of engineers and boatbuilders work tirelessly to ensure our all-weather lifeboats are ready to launch into the roughest conditions to save lives at sea.

Here’s Daniel Sharp (pictured above), Production Control Manager at the All-weather Lifeboat Centre, to tell us about the 17-month journey that begins on a factory floor and ends with launching a lifesaving legend.

The Shannon

class lifeboat

can reach 25 knots and handle hurricanes. But how is it made? We’re taking you behind the scenes to find out

STEP ONE: COMPOSITE BUILD 1

Duration: 12 weeks

‘In the first build stage, we create the Shannon class’s hull and wheelhouse,’ says Daniel. ‘We do this using SPRINT TM composite material – that’s glass and carbon fibre, with a layer of epoxy resin on one side. The composite material is laid into empty moulds and cooked overnight under vacuum pressure. This creates the structure of the hull and wheelhouse.’

With the outer shell created, the

boatbuilders then add bulkheads (upright walls which divide the boat into six watertight compartments) and stiffeners (longitudinal beams which give the hull extra rigidity to withstand slamming in rough seas). These are glued and bonded into place.

Then the hull and wheelhouse are lifted out of the moulds and moved to the next stage.

The Shannon’s hull is constructed from composite material, laid into moulds and cooked overnight under vacuum pressure

Words: Nikki McMullen

STEP TWO: COMPOSITE BUILD 2

Duration: 12 weeks

With the structures of the hull and wheelhouse complete, the next step is to install the lifeboat’s composite furniture. ‘That’s things like fan casings, stowages (like cupboards), and vent boxes in the engine room,’ explains Daniel.

At this stage, the hull and the wheelhouse are still separate, but the team temporarily put the hull and deck joints together to make sure they’ll be a perfect fit – this is called dry fitting. ‘We use non-stick tape for this, so the resin doesn’t stick,’ says Daniel. ‘If we joined the hull and wheelhouse together permanently at this stage, it would be hard to get people in and out for the rest of the build.’

Next, around 1,500 fibreglass pads and fixings are accurately positioned and glued onto the surfaces of the structure so that more components, like the engines, pipework and electrical boxes, can be fitted once the

STEP THREE: PAINTING

Duration: 7 weeks

During this stage, the hull and wheelhouse are painted inside and out. The wheelhouse interior is painted matte black to reduce reflections at night and the hull bottom is painted with an abrasion-resistant ice-breaker paint to prevent hull wear during beach recoveries, with antifoul over the top. Daniel explains: ‘Antifoul is a special type of paint that prevents marine organisms from growing on the hull. You’ll quickly see a lot of seaweed and barnacles otherwise! The paint is self-eroding, so when the marine organisms try to bond to it, it sheds.’

boat is painted. ‘The pads and fixings mean we can assemble everything like flatpack furniture after painting,’ says Daniel. ‘No drilling holes, no gluing.’

There’s more to fit during this stage too, such as the twin Hamilton waterjets, each with a movable nozzle to provide steering and a bucket assembly to give the boat reverse thrust. The Shannon is our only all-weather lifeboat to be powered by waterjets rather than traditional propellers. Waterjets allow the lifeboat to operate in shallow waters and to be intentionally beached if needed, and they make the boat more agile and manoeuvrable.

Boatbuilders will also fit the main keel shoe (a 10mm thick section of metal that goes on the hull for protection), side keels (fin-like additions which help to stabilise the boat) and spray rails (which are added to the side of the hull to redirect sea spray).

The hull of the Shannon, fitted with pads and fixings

A Shannon class lifeboat is painted inside the All-weather Lifeboat Centre’s spray booth

Installing the hull cables

STEP FIVE: FIT OUT 2

Duration: 12 weeks

This is the final build stage before the lifeboat is trialled. First, the wheelhouse is glued to the hull to create the hull-to-deck joint. The deck then has fendering (big rubber bumpers), stanchions (vertical poles which hold up the guardwires on the perimeter of the boat to stop people falling overboard) and cleats (deck hardware you tie ropes to) fitted. We install windows and add decals (the large letters/numbers on the boat).

The wheelhouse electronic cables are also fitted, with cables going in and coming up from the hull. ‘The hull and wheelhouse are connected as a system, so it all works as one boat,’ says Daniel.

Finally, the seats are installed –and the boat is powered on. ‘We then start commissioning, which means testing the systems are all working,’ says Daniel. ‘Then it’s out of the factory, and on to trials.’

STEP FOUR: FIT OUT 1

Duration: 12 weeks

Next, the components mentioned in step two are fitted to the hull and wheelhouse, using the fibreglass pads and fittings. ‘The aim is to complete as much of the fit out as possible while the hull and wheelhouse are still separate,’ Daniel says.

All the hull cables are installed and made ready to be fitted. A collapsible mast is also fitted to the wheelhouse, and capstans and bollards are fitted on the deck. ‘A bollard is a metal pole with two horns stuck on to secure ropes for towing,’ says Daniel.

‘A capstan is similar but motorised –it has a winch on top that spins around to pull the ropes in.’

The final build stages for the Shannon class lifeboat

STEP SIX: LAUNCH AND TRIALS

Duration: 7 weeks

The Shannon is moved from the factory. ‘Then it’s launched with a small ceremony to celebrate it getting wet for the first time, ahead of 50 years of service,’ says Daniel. The two Scania Power Solutions engines are fired up.

Next, the lifeboat begins its harbour acceptance trials and sea trials. ‘We call these HATs and SATs,’ says Daniel. ‘The harbour acceptance trials take place with the Shannon sitting alongside in the harbour – the boat doesn’t go anywhere. You don’t want to go out to sea and realise you

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Now it’s time for the crew to collect their boat. They usually stay at the RNLI College in Poole for training and to get to know their new Shannon class lifeboat. They might sail the boat back to their station as part of their training too. ‘If the station is very far away, the lifeboat might be driven by road halfway and then sailed the rest of the way home,’ says Daniel.

The crew – and their Shannon –arrive to an emotional welcome from

can’t steer.’ These trials include an inclining experiment to check the stability of the boat and to ensure the boat could self-right if needed, and a hose test to check for leaks.

Next, the Shannon moves out from the harbour and onto its sea trials.

‘In week 5 of this 7-week process, the Operations Proving Team take the boat for a week to test it thoroughly and ensure the boat is operating correctly,’ says Daniel. ‘Once this is complete, the boat is officially accepted and signed into the fleet.’

volunteers and the local community. They’ll continue their training at the station to make sure everyone is competent on the boat. Once the training is complete, the boat will be declared on service and the naming ceremony will take place. This is a proud day of celebration, with songs and speeches, and marks a new chapter for lifesaving at the station. ■

Photos: Richie Leonard, RNLI/(James Smerdon, Nathan Williams)

ADD A NAME TO A SPECIAL SHANNON

Six of our Shannons have become Launch a Memory lifeboats, carrying the names of thousands of loved ones who will be celebrated and remembered every time the crew heads out to save lives at sea.

Our seventh Launch a Memory lifeboat is now accepting names. You can add a name to the letters and numbers of Exmouth’s Shannon class lifeboat, in remembrance of a loved one or to celebrate someone still with us.

Visit RNLI.org/LAM7Lifeboat to find out more.

Are you a lifeboat enthusiast?

If you loved this article about how a lifeboat is made and want more like this, why not consider joining the Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society? Ideal for anybody who has an interest in modern lifeboat developments, RNLI history, lifeboat memorabilia and modelling, or owning and running historic former lifeboats. When you join, you’ll get three copies a year of the magazine Lifeboats Past and Present and the latest copy of the Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook. Find out more at lifeboatenthusiasts.com/join .

A newly built Shannon class lifeboat is lowered into the water for the first time

Me and my ... rugby

In our latest peek into the lives and loves of our lifeboat volunteers, Gravesend Crew Member Fiona Trent reveals what’s special to her

When I’m not working or volunteering, I play women’s rugby. Through rugby, I’ve made some really, really good friends. I’ve found my place there and I love it. I have recently been referred to as The Wall, because I’m quite strong and I do like putting in a nice hard tackle. I’m a forward and I do the big hits, but I need the others – I need the backs to take it up and score the tries.

Whether you’re on a lifeboat or on the rugby pitch, you have to work together. You can train as much as you want, but when it happens in real life, everything can be different. I couldn’t win a rugby match on my own and I couldn’t save a life on my own. ■

Photo: RNLI/Nathan Williams

Fiona Trent, keen rugby player, RNLI Volunteer Crew Member and Water Safety Adviser, Gravesend

REMEMBERING HELEN BLAKE

In 1914, lifeboat crews went to the aid of crew on the Norwegian ship Mexico in a 3-day story of courage, survival and loss

Words: Mairéad Dwane and Bethany Hope

110 years after the

we’re inspired by the crews to help save more lives at sea

On Friday 20 February 1914, the Wexford village of Fethard went into mourning as nine volunteers from the Fethard lifeboat Helen Blake gave their lives in an attempt to save the crew of the Norwegian ship Mexico.

On that fateful day, the Mexico was on the final leg of her journey from South America to Liverpool. Unexpectedly, weather conditions took a turn for the worse and the Mexico lost control in sudden severe gales and strong tides.

The ship was sucked into the dangerous waters surrounding South Keeragh Island and struggled against heavy seas.

The 14-man volunteer crew of Fethard RNLI had spotted the Mexico from shore and launched to the rescue. The storm quickly amplified and, as the RNLI crew approached, they were struck by a gigantic wave.

‘The waves hurled the lifeboat against the rocks. She was smashed to pieces’

Water immediately filled the lifeboat and, before the volunteers could react, they were hit by four further blows. The waves hurled the lifeboat against the rocks. She was smashed to pieces.

Of the 14 Fethard crew members, 9 were washed away in the impact, leaving the remaining 5 scrambling onto the island.

Island survivors

Despite all that the volunteers had just endured, they continued to help rescue the eight crew of the Mexico, as the boat now sat trapped among the island rocks. Using ropes, they managed to transfer the crew to the shore. Saved, but stranded, the men had no water, no shelter and only two tins of preserved meat and a few limpets to share between them. One crew member from the Mexico succumbed to exposure.

On Saturday 21 February, the RNLI lifeboat crews of Kilmore, Wexford and Dunmore East were called to help.

The Kilmore and Wexford crews did all they could to reach them, but returned to shore after three unsuccessful attempts to get close to the island. The Dunmore East lifeboat crew were also forced to return to station, as the sea swells grew larger.

By this time, news of the disaster had reached London. Upon hearing the story, the Chief Inspector of Lifeboats, Commander Thomas Holmes, headed for Fethard.

He arrived at around 3pm on Sunday. Earlier that day the Dunmore East crew had re-attempted to rescue the men,

Fethard disaster,

Survivors of the Fethard lifeboat crew (left) and the Mexico (right)

but to no avail. The aggressive seas still wouldn’t allow their lifeboat, Fanny Harriet, close enough to the island.

One more go

At 6am on Monday 23 February, the Chief Inspector and Dunmore East lifeboat crew launched Fanny Harriet one more time. Eventually, they were able to anchor close to the island.

The crew fired a cod line, which was attached to a small rowing boat. The boat was the best available, but she was flimsy, crashing against the rocks before even reaching the island.

The lifeboat crew refused to give up and desperately tried to persuade the shipwrecked survivors to be pulled through the water using a lifebuoy. Only two of the men chanced this risky manoeuvre – Fethard Second Coxswain John McNamara and Crew Member John Kelly. Both were pulled to safety on the lifeboat.

At around 8.15am, the Wexford RNLI crew arrived on scene, bringing a small punt with them. The punt was much sturdier than the rowing boat, and two of the Wexford crew members, William Duggan and James Wickham, climbed aboard to steer her down to the island.

They pulled two men aboard the punt and transferred them to the lifeboat, then set out again to pick up the remaining survivors. On the punt’s second trip to South Keeragh, rocks pierced a huge hole in her hull.

‘Rocks pierced a huge hole in her hull’

The crew members made an ingenious temporary fixture by blocking the hole with a loaf of bread and some packaging. This held water from filling the punt until all of the survivors were rescued and

taken aboard the Wexford lifeboat. The crew from the Mexico were then taken to Waterford, where they were treated and well cared for after their horrific ordeal.

Loss and courage

This shipwreck left 3 widows and 16 children to mourn the loss of their loved ones at sea, which included 9 crew members from the Fethard lifeboat – Coxwain Christopher Bird, William Bird, Thomas Handrick, Michael Handrick, James Morrissey, Patrick Cullen, Patrick Butler, William Bandville and Patrick Roche. Lifeboat volunteer Richard Bird survived the rescue but died 2 years later from the injuries he had received.

The story touched many people and the courage of the RNLI crews involved was recognised by the RNLI and internationally. The RNLI Silver Medal was awarded to Commander Holmes, Dunmore East Coxswain Walter Power, Wexford Coxswain Edward Wickham (his second Silver), Wexford Crew Members James Wickham and William Duggan. This disaster will always be remembered as one of the most tragic and courageous rescues in RNLI history.

110 years divide them and the RNLI unites them – Sean Cullen and his great-great grandfather James Wickham. James was on the Wexford crew that rowed to the rescue and took the punt to the island

Eileen Murphy Hodman is launch vehicle driver at Fethard. Her great grandfather was Patrick Cullen who lost his life on the Helen Blake, leaving a wife and nine children

Inspiring today’s crew

Eoin Bird and Mick Roche are both helms on the crew at Fethard. Here they tell us what the 1914 tragedy means to them personally.

Eoin: We all learned at an early age about the disaster and the courage of all the local lifeboat crews. Among those who died was my great uncle, Coxswain Christopher Bird, and relatives William Bird and Richard Bird.

Mick: My great-great grandfather Patrick Roche perished that day, washed up on Cullenstown Strand.

Eoin: Those people who lost their lives are remembered every year on the anniversary. There are loads of relatives still in Fethard. They were quite young people who died, younger than me now. They answered that call. The crew would have rowed out to the island with their only thought being to save the lives of those in difficulty.

Mick: They were different breeds of men back then. What they put their bodies through! Even when the lifeboat capsized, after seeing friends washed away, when they were bedraggled and injured after scrambling to safety, they still worked to save others from the Mexico

Eoin: It is different for the crew today. On our powerful lifeboat, I reckon it would take just 20 minutes to get out to that island. We have state-ofthe-art kit: our navigation equipment, our screens so we can see the charts – all massively beneficial. We have communications with the shore. And should the worst happen and we’re thrown overboard, we have our drysuit and lifejacket, plus our PLB [personal locator beacon] and personal flares that make us so much easier to find.

Mick: Safety is second to none these days – all our safety kit. Plus we have helicopters and bigger all-weather lifeboats. My dad and brother both volunteered on the crew and I reckon it’s harder sometimes for the family members back on the shore. When we’re out on a winter’s night, I would say there still is a fear.

Eoin: My brother Diarmaid’s on the crew with me. Families can take some comfort in knowing that we have the best training, equipment and safety procedures. It’s as safe as it can be.

Mick: There are things that haven’t changed over the years with the crew. We’re out there to help people today,

just as we were back then. When the alarm goes off, you don’t hesitate. You put your head down and go. You get it done.

Eoin: The lifeboat brings out the best traits in humanity – people want to help others in difficulty, people they’ve never met before. I am very proud to be a descendant and to be a lifeboat crew member today.’ ■

Photos: David Branigan/Oceansport, Patrick Browne, RNLI/(Fethard, Nigel Millard)

Helm Eoin Bird

Helm Mick Roche

Today’s crew aboard the Fethard D class lifeboat Naomh Dubhán

FIVE PAWESOME RESCUES

In honour of our friends at the RSPCA who are also marking their 200th birthday this year, here are five of our favourite animal rescues of all time

Monte the dog

In 1932, the Italian ship Monte Nevoso ran aground on the Haisborough Sands. The Cromer lifeboat volunteers rescued 29 crew, making numerous launches to the vessel. On the final launch they saved a large dog and some caged birds.

The exhausted volunteers had been at sea for 52 hours by the time they arrived home. Henry Blogg was awarded an RNLI Silver Medal for Gallantry for the rescue. The captain of the Monte Nevoso also gave Henry the rescued dog as a gesture of thanks. Henry renamed him Monte. After that, Monte was rarely seen more than a couple of feet from Henry’s side.

A waterlogged puffin

In 2018, RNLI lifeguards at Filey faced an unusual rescue when they went to help a puffin in danger. The young seabird was being tossed about by waves close to the sea wall. Lifeguard Scott Brierley saved the day, paddling out on his rescue board. He gathered up the petrified puffin from the water and brought it back to shore.

The puffin was placed into the care of an animal welfare expert and made its recovery at a local bird sanctuary.

The puffin on the lifeguard’s rescue board

The cat with nine lives

RNLI crews take on mighty waves and torrential storms – but it took a different type of bravery for Chiswick RNLI to face the fury of a black cat.

The cat had fallen from a 6m wall on the River Thames and the lifeboat crew were concerned that one of the crowd of onlookers was going to put themselves in danger trying to rescue the animal.

The cat was less than thrilled with the crew’s rescue efforts – snarling and spitting. He wriggled out of the clutches of Crew Member Mark Pusey. But the determined volunteer waded after him, wrapped the cat gently in a blanket and took him safely into the lifeboat – to the cheers of the crowd.

A lucky goose

On 8 February 1925, a boat carrying a family of five, a bushel of potatoes and a goose ran into trouble while sailing to Portmadoc in Wales. Ramsey RNLI launched to their rescue.

The May 1925 issue of The Life-boat describes the scene: ‘They had bought a goose for their dinner, but, running into very heavy weather, all their thoughts of a meal passed away ... they were rescued at their last gasp (including the goose) ... The unhappy experiences of the whole family, including the goose, were such that, instead of the latter being used for the purposes of sustaining life, it has become a family pet.’

Paddy the horse

When Paddy’s hoof became wedged in an oyster bed, with a rising tide, the Kinsale crew were in a race against time. Jonathan Connor and Michael P Sullivan waded into the water to set Paddy free. It took a few attempts to release the frightened animal, but the volunteers soon returned Paddy to his relieved owners on shore.

A month later, Paddy led the RNLI’s float in the town’s St Patrick’s Day parade. ‘We asked Paddy straight up did he want to do it – yay or nay?’ says Jonathan Connor. ‘He didn’t neigh, so we took it as a yes!’

Nowadays, our animal-loving lifeboat crews sometimes train and work with our friends at the RSPCA to get frightened animals out of trouble. If you’re an animal lover too, you can enjoy more animal rescues in our book Saved from the Waves. Order yours today at shop.RNLI.org/saved

The family with the goose (saved twice!)

The soggy moggy – not our most grateful rescuee

Words: Nikki McMullen

Photos: M Midwood, RNLI/(Chiswick, Hetty Walsh)

Reunited for the St Patrick’s Day parade

SHELF LIFE

Reviewed by: Penelope, Becci Jewell, Sally Hunneyball and Charlotte Hill

Penelope

and the BIG Seaside Rescue

The Big Seaside Rescue

by Rory Stamp

It’s a lovely warm day at the seaside, bringing lots of visitors. Even Rudolph the Reindeer is here on his holidays! But when Rudolph gets into danger out at sea, who can call for help – and who will go to the rescue?

This heartwarming, personalised seaside story gives children an exciting introduction to the RNLI’s lifeguards and beach safety.

Here’s 4-year-old Penelope’s review: I loved the book and I loved seeing my name in it. I thought Rudolph being at the beach was so funny and my favourite picture was the one where he gets wrapped up in a towel! It was a really good book to read with my mummy.

Published by the RNLI Price: £20 Get your copy today at shop.RNLi.org/BigSummer

Written by Rory Stamp Illustrated by Hannah Lawson

Photo: RNLI/Nathan Williams

Move Like Water

by Hannah Stowe

Navigating by wind and whales, Move Like Water departs the shipwrecking shores of Pembrokeshire for the icy seas of Newfoundland, the desert heat of Libya and many brilliant landscapes in between. Albatross, whales, barnacles and seals spill from the salt-licked pages as Hannah Stowe shares her remarkable journey from sea-loving child to marine biologist and yachtmaster.

A Brief Atlas of the Lighthouses at the End of the World

by José Luis González Macías

Published by Granta Books

Price: £16.99 (hardback)

Published by

Foxglove Publishing Ltd

Price: £10

Whether you’re a seasoned sailor drawn to tales of stormy seas, a wildlife enthusiast excited to learn more of the species Stowe encountered, or a reader ready to be inspired by Stowe’s long recovery from spinal injury, you’ll find treasure in this captivating love letter to the sea.

Steam Lifeboats

by Nicholas Leach

You may never have heard about this interesting chapter of RNLI history before. From the late 19th to the early 20th century, the RNLI had a total of six steam lifeboats and one steam tug. Together, they helped to save over 700 lives.

This book covers the technical ups and downs of these steam lifeboats, which were often used to tow oared lifeboats to the scene of rescues. And on certain occasions, these vessels even carried out rescues on their own too!

If you’re interested in the evolution of RNLI lifeboats, from oared to mechanical power, this is the book for you.

Why not join us?

Are you an armchair explorer? Do you love a nautical yarn? We’re always looking for new reviewers for Lifeboat magazine. If you’re interested in penning a 100-word review, please email us.

Is there anything as mysterious or captivating as a lighthouse? Beacons of hope for anyone lost among dark and stormy seas. In this book, González Macías shares more than 30 illuminating stories from lighthouses across the globe. He combines fascinating human stories with painstaking architectural and nautical detail. Through the lens of lighthouses, the author explores the theme of isolation. With beautiful illustrations and absorbing snippets of history, this is the perfect coffee table book to leaf through at leisure, drifting away to far and forgotten places at the edges of our world. Anyone interested in remote and wild places will love this book.

Published by Picador Price: £20 (hardback)

Friends of the RNLI

Puzzle time

Quick wordsearch

You’ve had a tour inside the lifeboat factory (page 18). Now it’s time to find some of the many techniques used to build a lifeboat.

L N T T E S T O O K

O A D Q Y D G Y Y W

H C I W Q E L E Y Z

G O D R O D U U B W

H O F I T G E F O W

N K D N L O E D N M

D T F E V N R I D R

N P E T N I A P P I

B A T G L X L N W Y

F P L L A T S N I J

Have you seen it yet?

Look out for this Ford electric van, taking a special RNLI 200 scroll all around the UK and Ireland

A relay event called Connecting our Communities is transporting the scroll inland and along the coast, to mark 200 years of lifesaving. The event has only been made possible thanks to our official vehicle suppliers and partners at Ford UK. Ford UK is sponsoring the whole event and has provided an electric van for the scroll’s travels. The scroll will contain the words of our One Crew pledge. It spells out our commitment to saving lives at sea, in the spirit of Sir William Hillary, who set up the charity in 1824. Follow the scroll’s journey at RNLI.org/ScrollRelay

Can you work out what rescue craft this is?

Answer on page 39.

Photo: RNLI/Nathan Williams

Connecting our communities: this Ford electric van is bringing our special RNLI anniversary scroll to a place near you

LIFESAVER Ian Limmer

Here’s how Ian, a nursery manager at Peter Beales Roses, used his green fingers to commemorate 200 years of lifesaving

What inspired you to get involved with our charity?

I have a special connection to the RNLI – my grandfather was a volunteer at Sheringham lifeboat for 30 years and helped save 168 lives. I heard from one of my colleagues that 2024 was the 200th anniversary of the RNLI. So, I thought it might be nice if we bred a rose to commemorate the anniversary.

What does the rose look like?

It’s a floribunda rose, with clusters of apricot-coloured flowers. It grows happily in a pot, in a bed, on its own or as a small climber. We’ve called it RNLI 200th ‘With Courage’, after the motto of Sir William Hillary, founder of the RNLI.

Tell us about the rose’s debut

We officially unveiled the rose at the Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show in May –we were preparing for months! My brother, who also works at the nursery, designed the stand. We had a D class lifeboat, RNLI memorabilia and two obelisks made of old-fashioned oars, which the roses climbed up.

Photo: Chris Taylor

LAUNCHES

Thank you – you are the force behind the winter launches listed on these pages. Check out the recent action at your favourite lifeboat station with this handy alphabetical list

A ABERDEEN

D-830: Jan 11, Feb 13

ON1248 (17-24): Dec 9, Jan 11,16, Feb 13

ABERSOCH

B-886: Dec 2

ABERYSTWYTH

A-78: Dec 2,18, Feb 23

B-937: Dec 2,3, Jan 9, Feb 4

ALDEBURGH

D-808: Feb 9

AMBLE

ON1323 (13-16): Dec 10, Jan 20

ANGLE

ON1291 (16-11): Dec 3,

4,8,31(x2), Jan 7,30, Feb 1,10,15,20,24,29

APPLEDORE

B-926: Jan 26

D-729: Dec 3

ON1296 (16-16): Dec 11, Jan 9

ARAN ISLANDS

ON1217 (17-06): Dec 15(x2),18,31, Jan 2,16,18, Feb 1,24

ARBROATH

B-927: Feb 3

D-759: Dec 23, Feb 1,18,22

ON1194 (12-35): Dec 23, Feb 1

ARKLOW

ON1223 (14-19): Dec 3,4, Jan 11, Feb 17

ARRAN

B-876: Jan 4

ARRANMORE

ON1244 (17-22): Dec 21, 27(x2),29, Jan 2,5,21,31, Feb 4(x2),8

BALLYCOTTON

ON1233 (14-25): Jan 9, Feb 4

BALLYGLASS

D-823: Dec 12

ON1235 (17-15): Jan 7,17

BALTIMORE

ON1302 (16-22): Feb 21

BARRY DOCK

D-820: Dec 2,5

ON1245 (14-29): Dec 5, 26, Jan 12,16,23

BEAUMARIS

B-838: Feb 3,26

B-895: Jan 14

BEMBRIDGE

D-778: Jan 3,4,22

ON1297 (16-17): Dec 2, 9,24,27,28, Jan 1,22

BERWICK-UPON-TWEED

B-913: Jan 19

D-777: Jan 19

BLACKPOOL

D-862: Dec 7

D-864: Dec 31, Jan 11(x2),27, Feb 15,16

BORTH

D-760: Dec 11

BRIDLINGTON

D-852: Dec 29, Feb 20,25

ON1329 (13-22): Dec 4, 15,29

BRIGHTON

B-852: Dec 9,11, Jan 18, Feb 9,21,23

BROUGHTY FERRY

D-834: Dec 17,19,24, Jan 1(x2),3,14,19, Feb 10(x2),28

ON1252 (14-31): Dec 19(x2),24, Jan 1(x2), 3,14,19, Feb 10

BUCKIE

ON1268 (17-37): Feb 8

BUDE

D-756: Dec 4

RWC-129: Dec 4

BURNHAM-ON-CROUCH

B-849: Feb 2

D-807: Jan 21

BURNHAM-ON-SEA

B-914: Feb 17,28

D-801: Feb 10,17,28

BURRY PORT

D-882: Dec 26,27

CALSHOT

B-860: Dec 24(x2), Jan 20,22, Feb 16,21,26

CAMPBELTOWN

ON1237 (17-17): Dec 5

ON1241 (17-19): Jan 15

CARDIGAN

D-845: Feb 7

CARRYBRIDGE

B-904: Jan 14

CASTLETOWNBERE

ON1277 (17-44): Dec 27

CHISWICK

E-08: Dec 5(x2),6(x3), 8,30(x3),31, Jan 5(x2), 6,7,31, Feb 1,2,3,4(x2), 6(x2),7,9,12

E-09: Dec 1(x2),14,15,16, 17,21,29, Jan 13(x3), 14(x2),18(x2),20,21,24(x2), 30, Feb 15(x3),18,20,22, 23(x2),24,25(x3),26(x2) CLACTON-ON-SEA

D-849: Feb 10,13,22,28

CLEETHORPES

D-757: Dec 3, Feb 9,27

CLOGHERHEAD

ON1338 (13-31): Dec 12,13

CLOVELLY

B-872: Dec 22

COWES

B-859: Dec 18,22, Jan 12,14(x2) CROMER

D-868: Jan 9, Feb 23

CULLERCOATS

B-935: Dec 10,12, Jan 1,19,31 DART

B-931: Jan 18

D-838: Dec 7 DONAGHADEE

ON1225 (14-21): Feb 15,24 DOUGLAS

ON1191 (12-32): Feb 7 DOVER

ON1220 (17-09): Jan 6, 8,28,29,31, Feb 8,9,11, 25(x2),27,28

ON1260 (17-31): Dec 1,2,16

DUN LAOGHAIRE

D-865: Jan 1,18,19, Feb 11(x2)

DUNBAR

D-844: Jan 8(x2) ON1204 (14-06): Dec 27

RNLI RESCUE CRAFT LAUNCHES

1 December 2023 to 29 February 2024

The launches listed here are those for which returns had been received at the RNLI Support Centre and processed by 28 March 2024.

DUNGENESS

ON1309 (13-02): Dec 1, 2(x3),3, Jan 17,31, Feb 8,28(x3)

EASTBOURNE

D-876: Dec 16, Jan 4,11, 18,19(x2),29,31, Feb 14, 15(x2),21,23,26,29

ON1197 (14-02): Feb 21(x2)

ON1213 (14-15): Dec 2, 16(x2),23, Jan 29, Feb 26

EXMOUTH

D-805: Dec 10,19, Jan 11, Feb 25

ON1310 (13-03): Dec 10, Jan 11

EYEMOUTH

ON1339 (13-32): Feb 23

FALMOUTH

B-916: Dec 5,9(x2),19,25, Jan 1, Feb 8,12,17(x2)

ON1256 (17-29): Dec 9, Jan 1,9, Feb 20

FENIT

ON1239 (14-27): Dec 3, Jan 11

FETHARD

D-819: Jan 19

FILEY

D-859: Feb 25,27

FISHGUARD

D-789: Dec 24, Feb 24(x2),26

ON1198 (14-03): Dec 8, Feb 26

FLAMBOROUGH

B-820: Dec 19,22, Jan 26, Feb 16,20,26

FLEETWOOD

D-853: Jan 9,14

ON1328 (13-21): Jan 9

FLINT

D-795: Feb 14

D-857: Jan 3

FOWEY

ON1205 (14-07): Dec 12, Jan 28

FRASERBURGH

ON1259 (14-34): Dec 28, Feb 17

GALWAY

B-853: Dec 4,12,13

GIRVAN

ON1330 (13-23): Dec 30, Jan 12,14,22,27

GRAVESEND

B-827: Dec 7,14,16(x2), 20,29, Jan 4,10,25,28, 30(x2), Feb 2,3,12(x2),13, 17,18,19,21(x2),23,25

GREAT YARMOUTH AND GORLESTON

B-925: Dec 9,11,12(x2), 23, Jan 8,15,19, Feb 5,8 ON1208 (14-10): Jan 21

HAPPISBURGH

D-813: Jan 20

HARTLEPOOL

B-881: Dec 10, Feb 12 ON1274 (14-37): Jan 4

HARWICH

B-907: Dec 10,16, Jan 14(x2), Feb 26 ON1202 (17-03): Jan 2

HASTINGS

D-875: Jan 12,27, Feb 5 ON1335 (13-28): Dec 1,29(x2) HAYLING ISLAND

B-829: Dec 31, Jan 14, Feb 14,24

D-779: Dec 31, Jan 14

HELENSBURGH

B-903: Jan 1,9,12,17,19, Feb 4(x2),16

HELVICK HEAD

B-898: Jan 7,18

HOLYHEAD

D-791: Jan 23,30 ON1272 (17-41): Jan 30

HORTON AND PORT EYNON

D-824: Dec 16, Feb 11,26

HOWTH

D-796: Jan 3, Feb 18 ON1258 (14-33): Dec 29

HOYLAKE

H-005: Feb 2,3,25

ON1313 (13-06): Jan 20, Feb 11,13,16

HUMBER ON1216 (17-05): Dec 4, Jan 17,31, Feb 4

HUNSTANTON

B-848: Feb 1

H-003: Feb 10,11

ILFRACOMBE

D-863: Dec 2,29, Jan 27

ON1316 (13-09): Dec 23, Jan 27

INVERGORDON

ON1344 (13-37): Dec 12,29

ISLAY

ON1219 (17-08): Dec 13

KESSOCK

B-873: Dec 5,18, Jan 22

KILKEEL

B-812: Jan 26

KILRUSH

B-844: Dec 25

KINGHORN

B-836: Jan 9,18,28,30(x2), Feb 6,13

KINSALE

B-901: Jan 20, Feb 25

KIRKWALL

ON1231 (17-13): Dec 25, Jan 14, Feb 4,15,16,24

KYLE OF LOCHALSH

B-856: Jan 16,31, Feb 21

LARGS

B-854: Jan 2, Feb 7,8, 17,18,20

LERWICK

ON1221 (17-10): Dec 1, Jan 24, Feb 17

LITTLEHAMPTON

B-891: Jan 8,11,28, Feb 1,25

D-769: Dec 7,12,28

LITTLESTONE-ON-SEA

B-922: Dec 1,16,25, Jan 10,17, Feb 22,23

LLANDUDNO

D-793: Jan 28, Feb 5

ON1333 (13-26): Jan 20, Feb 16

LOCHINVER

ON1271 (17-40): Jan 1,6,7

LONGHOPE

ON1284 (16-05): Jan 8, Feb 5

LOOE

B-894: Dec 1, Jan 28, Feb 24

D-872: Dec 1,2, Feb 24

LOUGH DERG

B-911: Dec 30

LOUGH REE

B-920: Feb 7

LOUGH SWILLY

B-819: Feb 17

ON1315 (13-08): Feb 5,17

LOWESTOFT

ON1312 (13-05): Jan 1,13,14(x2),21, Feb 12,16,21

LYME REGIS

B-857: Dec 25, Jan 21, Feb 10,21,25

LYMINGTON

B-882: Feb 11,27

LYTHAM ST ANNES

D-800: Jan 9

ON1331 (13-24): Jan 20

MABLETHORPE

D-790: Feb 24

MACDUFF

B-933: Feb 5,17

MALLAIG

ON1250 (17-26): Dec 2, Jan 10,16,19

MARGATE

B-930: Dec 2, Jan 8,14,19

D-841: Dec 2,14, Jan 13, 19,22,28, Feb 15

MINEHEAD

B-939: Jan 25

D-847: Dec 30, Jan 25, Feb 19

MOELFRE

D-825: Feb 13

ON1305 (16-25): Feb 5,22

MONTROSE

D-764: Jan 19,20, Feb 3,26

ON1317 (13-10): Jan 19

MORECAMBE

D-855: Dec 14, Jan 14, Feb 11(x2),13

H-002: Feb 11

MUDEFORD

B-806: Jan 2,14,19,20, 25,28,30, Feb 7,11,14,15, 23,24

NEW BRIGHTON

B-837: Dec 6,18,23, Feb 5,11,13

NEW QUAY (CEREDIGION)

D-886: Feb 11

ON1355 (13-48): Jan 9, Feb 11

NEWBIGGIN

B-932: Dec 31

NEWHAVEN

ON1243 (17-21): Dec 2, Jan 8,29, Feb 18,25,28,29

NEWQUAY (CORNWALL)

B-936: Dec 30, Jan 20, Feb 2,5,10,13

D-773: Dec 10,19, Jan 19,20, Feb 10

NORTH BERWICK

D-758: Dec 17, Feb 7,21

OBAN

ON1227 (14-23): Dec 13, Jan 3,21, Feb 13,21,26

PADSTOW

ON1283 (16-04): Dec 6,7, Jan 9

PENARTH

B-839: Dec 26,29, Jan 12, Feb 13

D-822: Jan 12

PENLEE

B-893: Dec 29, Jan 10,11,19, Feb 5,10,23

ON1254 (17-27): Feb 26,28

ON1265 (17-36): Jan 10, 11(x2),20, Feb 5,10

PETERHEAD

ON1282 (16-03): Dec 28

PLYMOUTH

B-908: Dec 2,12,16,17,23,29, Jan 1,13,18,26, Feb 2,4,14, 25,26

ON1264 (17-35): Dec 8,19, 25,28, Jan 20, Feb 14,22

POOLE

B-826: Feb 12,24

B-906: Dec 28, Feb 10

D-804: Jan 28, Feb 3,24

PORT TALBOT

D-848: Jan 11,16

PORTHCAWL

B-832: Dec 26, Feb 3,20,26

D-755: Jan 24(x3), Feb 14

PORTHDINLLAEN

ON1304 (16-24): Jan 5,19, Feb 16

PORTISHEAD

B-884: Dec 4, Jan 25,29,31, Feb 4,8,11(x3)

PORTPATRICK

ON1301 (16-21): Feb 13

PORTREE

BB-683: Jan 28

ON1214 (14-16): Jan 3,31, Feb 21

PORTRUSH

D-871: Dec 13

ON1257 (17-30): Dec 3

PORTSMOUTH

B-846: Jan 14,23, Feb 5,26

D-850: Dec 17,30(x2), Jan 8,23, Feb 11

QUEENSFERRY

B-851: Dec 8,13,16,17,29,30, Jan 4,9(x2),14,18,26,30(x2), Feb 6,11,18,25(x2)

RAMSGATE

ON1197 (14-02): Dec 2

REDCAR

B-850: Dec 8,27, Jan 3

B-858: Jan 4,6,23, Feb 4,15

D-786: Dec 8, Jan 6,13, Feb 15

RHYL

D-770: Feb 2,15,16,25

ON1341 (13-34): Jan 20, Feb 2,15,16

RYE HARBOUR

B-900: Jan 20

SALCOMBE

B-921: Jan 9

ON1289 (16-09): Dec 19,21, Jan 9,18,20

SCARBOROUGH

D-856: Jan 8

ON1322 (13-15): Jan 3(x3)

SEAHOUSES

D-828: Jan 24

ON1343 (13-36): Jan 8,21,24

SELSEY

D-827: Jan 20(x2), Feb 4

ON1314 (13-07): Dec 9

ON1327 (13-20): Feb 11

KNOW YOUR CRAFT

SENNEN COVE

ON1294 (16-14): Feb 24

SHEERNESS

D-815: Dec 9,17,26,29, Jan 8,14,18,20, Feb 11, 15,28

SHOREHAM HARBOUR

D-784: Dec 1,8, Jan 5,7, Feb 1,23

ON1295 (16-15): Jan 3, 5,7, Feb 13

SKEGNESS

D-842: Dec 22

ON1324 (13-17): Dec 16 SKERRIES

B-866: Dec 30, Feb 24

SLIGO BAY

B-888: Dec 22(x3), 23(x2),24(x2),25(x2), 26(x2),27,28,29,30,31, Feb 1

SOUTHEND-ON-SEA

B-885: Jan 1

D-818: Dec 17

SOUTHWOLD

B-868: Dec 25

ST CATHERINE

B-841: Dec 30

ST DAVIDS

ON1306 (16-26): Jan 30

ST HELIER

B-934: Jan 19, Feb 10,19

ON1292 (16-12): Dec 17, 30, Jan 19, Feb 10

ST IVES

D-803: Dec 18, Feb 10,13

ST MARY’S

ON1229 (17-11): Feb 15,28

ST PETER PORT

ON1203 (17-04): Dec 2, Jan 29, Feb 11,13

STAITHES AND RUNSWICK

B-897: Dec 15, Feb 24

STONEHAVEN

B-919: Dec 28, Feb 8

STRANRAER

D-833: Feb 27

SUNDERLAND

B-817: Jan 1,10, Feb 23

D-879: Dec 9,14,15, Jan 1,23, Feb 18

SWANAGE

D-884: Jan 20

ON1320 (13-13): Dec 30, Jan 20

TEDDINGTON

D-785: Dec 4,6,14,19,20, 24,31, Jan 6,9,10,25(x2), Feb 16

D-874: Dec 6,19, Jan 3, 20,25, Feb 1(x2),9,10, 16(x2),20,26

TEIGNMOUTH

B-809: Feb 9,17,28

THE LIZARD

ON1300 (16-20): Jan 22

THE MUMBLES

D-761: Dec 10,31, Jan 14,15,20,21, Feb 11,14,15,19

ON1307 (16-27): Jan 21,23, Feb 14

THURSO ON1273 (17-42): Dec 16,26, Feb 2

TIGHNABRUAICH

B-862: Jan 4, Feb 9

TOBERMORY

ON1270 (17-39): Dec 23

TORBAY

D-788: Dec 12, Jan 4,6, 24,30(x2), Feb 6,12,24,28

ON1255 (17-28): Dec 16, Jan 17,18,30, Feb 6,9(x2), 12,16,24 TOWER

E-07: Dec 6,10,11(x2), 12(x4),13,14,15,17,18, 23(x2),24(x2),26,27,31, Jan 1, Feb 20,21,22, 23(x2),24(x2),26(x2), 27,28,29(x3)

E-10: Dec 1,4,5(x2), 6,10,27(x2),28,29(x2), Jan 1,2,4,5(x2),7(x2), 12(x2),16,17(x2),18(x3), 19,20(x2),21,22,23, 24(x3),25(x2),27,28,29, 31(x2), Feb 2,3(x2),4, 5(x2),6,7,8,9(x3),10(x4), 12,14,15(x3),17(x2), 18(x2),19(x2),20(x2)

TREARDDUR BAY

B-847: Dec 18, Jan 30

TROON

D-821: Dec 13,16,17, Jan 3,27

ON1275 (14-38): Dec 13, 16,17, Jan 3, Feb 8,20

TYNEMOUTH

D-829: Dec 4,23(x2) ON1263 (17-34): Dec 23

UNION HALL

B-924: Feb 15

WALMER

B-808: Dec 10

D-794: Dec 10, Feb 13

WELLS

D-797: Dec 16, Feb 23,24

WEST KIRBY

D-883: Dec 31, Jan 12,28, Feb 11,12,14

WEST MERSEA

B-879: Dec 13,15,20, Jan 7,15,28, Feb 1

WESTON-SUPER-MARE

B-875: Jan 26, Feb 11

D-832: Jan 26,29, Feb 11

WEXFORD

D-782: Jan 8

WEYMOUTH

B-917: Dec 26,28,29, Jan 11,25,29(x2), Feb 7, 24,25

ON1261 (17-32): Dec 26

ON1278 (17-45): Feb 17, 24,25

WHITBY

D-810: Dec 16,19, Jan 7, Feb 14,16,24

ON1356 (13-49): Jan 7, Feb 7,14

WHITSTABLE

B-877: Dec 23, Jan 14, Feb 9,17,18,22

WICKLOW

D-806: Jan 24

ON1340 (13-33): Feb 10,13,22

WITHERNSEA

D-837: Jan 16,27

YARMOUTH

ON1249 (17-25): Dec 28(x2), Jan 7,28, Feb 6,22

YOUGHAL

B-890: Dec 16,21

ON SERVICE

D-884, Roy Norgrove, Swanage, 8 December 2023

B-941, Sam and Freda Parkinson, relief fleet, 11 January 2024

D-886, Will Morgan, New Quay (Ceredigion), 1 February 2024

D-887, Dorothy and Katherine Barr III, relief fleet, 7 February 2024

D-885, Clive and Imelda Rawlins II, Trearddur Bay, 15 February 2024

NAMING CEREMONIES

D-887, Dorothy and Katherine Barr III, relief fleet, 22 February 2024

B-941, Sam and Freda Parkinson, relief fleet, 22 February 2024

Mudeford Servant B-806

Mudeford Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat

Special delivery

Your letters, posts and pictures

Oscar-winning fundraiser

Oscar the cat stole the show at an RNLI collection at Stowmarket Tesco.

In memory

When should a lifeboat retire?

I have read Lifeboat magazine for many years. A question that intrigues me is what criteria does the RNLI use to decide when a lifeboat is to be sold and replaced with a new one?

STUART MACGREGOR

Stuart Wilkins, Asset Management Team: There are multiple criteria used when deciding the fate of a lifeboat. While a large part of the decision will be based around the age of the asset, its condition and optimum life, other key factors are the ongoing ability to support the boat and its subsystems to a defined standard and for a favourable cost.

While not exhaustive, other elements which form part of the decision-making process are: changes in legislation (for example, does the current craft meet any new emission target?), changes in operational requirements (such as increasing our fleet speed to 25 knots), safety (for example whole body vibration) along with time since its last major maintenance intervention (refit or overhaul). The cost of replacing the boat and/or its disposal is also considered.

When our boys were in their early teens, my husband and I used to take them for holidays at Lyme Regis. We often witnessed the lifeboat called out.

One very stormy afternoon, we found our boys playing ‘chicken’ with the waves. As we were telling them off, the lifeboat was called out. To teach them how dangerous and foolhardy their actions had been, we made them wait until the RNLI boat returned and talk to the crew men.

Following my husband’s death in 2018 the boys and I donated £1,000 to Lyme Regis lifeboat crew in his memory.

SANDRA FISHER

The Lyme Regis crew with Sandra (in blue) and her family

Three retired RNLI Mersey class lifeboats, were sold to ADES in Uruguay at the end of 2021

Photo: Chris Bingley

Write to us

Were you moved by a rescue story? Do you want to know more about something you’ve read? We love hearing from you and seeing your photos. Please get in touch with us.

Inland excellence

I’m Lorna, Secretary of the Leighton Buzzard Fundraising Branch of the RNLI. We’re based in Bedfordshire and we are one of the furthest fundraising branches from the sea.

Recently two of our founder members were awarded their RNLI 20-year service medals. They are husband and wife team Jenny and Tom Davis. Sadly Tom died unexpectedly last year and so Jenny received his award posthumously.

While I appreciate that the lifeboat stations by the sea are very very important, it would sometimes be nice to read or hear about the fundraisers who work inland. I think Jenny and Tom are an excellent example of this.

LORNA RICHARDSON

Editor: Good point Lorna. Thank you for telling us all about Jenny and Tom. Thank you for all you do for the RNLI and thank you to all our inland fundraisers and supporters.

The thrill of the launch

As a child, the lifeboat used to fascinate me. On one occasion, we were at Tenby, when a siren went off and we watched the dramatic launch of their lifeboat. To every youngster, that dramatic spray-flung thud of the strikingly colourful little vessel, into an already wild sea, was thrilling.

I do not doubt that many who have called out in despair, have been immensely grateful to see that speedy icon of tempestbuoyant urgency, racing towards their point of crisis.

Our nation is thankful to you all, for your bravery and dedication, in the sometimes wave-mountainous conditions which your crews face.

We all value the great work that you do, to help save the lives of many souls in trouble. We look forward to many more lives being snatched, so skilfully and bravely, from a watery grave!

STUART BRANCH

Jenny and Tom

Making a splash – the Tamar class Haydn Miller, Tenby

Photo: Nicholas Leach

Friends of the RNLI

Meet Dr David Meddings from the World Health Organization (WHO) and join him in marking World Drowning Prevention Day on 25 July

‘A watershed moment’ is how David describes the UN Resolution in 2021 that established World Drowning Prevention Day. As the Lead for Drowning Prevention at WHO, David played an important role in the adoption of the Resolution – alongside the RNLI and national governments of Ireland and Bangladesh.

Every year, on 25 July, we now raise awareness of the drowning problem and driving action to save more lives. As part of his job, David develops WHO technical guidance to prevent drowning and ensures it is implemented. He admires the work of the RNLI and looks forward to World Drowning Prevention Day: ‘I love to see the creativity, the commitment, and the variety of ways in which this day is celebrated around the world.’

For World Drowning Prevention Day events happening near you, head to RNLI.org/25July.

LIFEBOAT LOTTERY

‘My husband and I had some wonderful holidays at the coast. We always thought the RNLI lifeboat crews were very brave. I was very surprised and pleased to win a prize!’

MRS PURVES, 2023 LIFEBOAT LOTTERY WINNER

Photo: Jake Joseph

Photo: RNLI/Marc Bader

Dr David Meddings and the Chief Medical Officer of Ireland, Professor Breda Smyth, at an RNLI drowning prevention event

Our doors are always open for you

An extra warm welcome awaits you at our lifeboat stations and museums this summer as we celebrate 200 years of saving lives at sea. Come say ‘Happy Birthday!’ to your RNLI family. And see your kind support in action – for free!

Step inside the stations you help to equip. View the lifeboats you help to maintain. And meet the volunteers you help to protect.

Delve into 200 years of lifesaving – a story you’re a part of and help to preserve. Marvel at the RNLI’s pioneering innovations, its momentous milestones, and its courageous people.

See the wonder on the faces of visitors you help to educate and inspire. And glimpse the lifesaving future you’re helping to secure for generations to come.

Thank you for being a lifesaver too. We hope to see you soon!

Photos: RNLI/(Richard Adams, Nathan Williams)

Your RNLI family

The lives and loves of your fellow lifesavers

Celebrating Chloe

A huge well done to Chloe Urquhart, who has made local history by becoming the youngest D class helm to pass out on Aberdeen Lifeboat Station’s inshore lifeboat, Buoy Woody 85N.

Chloe, who is just 21, originally joined the crew at Portree RNLI when she was 17. She is currently in her fourth year at Aberdeen University, studying medicine, and still volunteers at Portree when she’s home for the holidays.

‘I love the variety that comes with volunteering for the RNLI –no shout or exercise is ever the same,’ says Chloe. ‘And lifelong friends are guaranteed. The crew is like a big family, able to joke around with each other – but when the pagers go off, our heads are in the game.’

What a brilliant achievement Chloe, we’re so proud of you!

A welly wonderful wedding

In Berwick-upon-Tweed, Helm John Campbell and Crew Member Amy Faragher have tied the knot.

‘We had a very small intimate day in Edinburgh with just a few close friends and family – it was really special,’ says Amy. ‘John has around 25 years’ service with the Berwick-upon-Tweed crew and I’ve been on the crew for just over 5 years now. We met after I joined, and we just clicked over a love of caravan holidays and dog walks. We both hope to be part of the crew for many more years – we love training together.’ We’re wishing you both a lifetime of happiness.

It’s not a wedding without a pair of RNLI yellow wellies!

All smiles for new Helm Chloe Urquhart

Love and lifeboats

Cromer RNLI is also celebrating two of their shore crew volunteers tying the knot – Neil Davies and Monika Lewandowska.

On their way to the wedding reception, which was attended by many of their fellow crew, they stopped off at the lifeboat station for some wedding photos. Don’t they look wonderful?

Neil is part of the shore crew. He is a winch operator, tractor driver and head launcher. Monika is new to the station, recently passing out as shore crew, but has her sights set on training for the all-weather lifeboat.

Monika says: ‘Having been woken up by the pager going off for many years, and with Neil’s support and encouragement, it felt like a natural progression to start volunteering at the lifeboat station. It has been really exciting to join the crew and be part of the Cromer RNLI family.’

Celebrating life

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

Robin Aisher – June 2023

Former Vice President

Pearl Bayley – August 2023

Volunteer at Maidenhead Fundraising Branch

Steve Betson – September 2023

Former Divisional General Manager (East)

Ron Blay – December 2023

Former Crew Member at Ramsgate RNLI

Frank Bremner – November 2023

Member of Torbay Fundraising Branch

John Broadhurst – November 2023

Volunteer at Aylesbury RNLI Branch

Robert Angus Clark cbe – October 2023

Former Vice President

Brian Clay – November 2023

Former HGV Driver at Poole

Richard Cox – December 2023

President at the Hitchin and District

RNLI Branch

Tom Davis – June 2023

Treasurer at Leighton Buzzard RNLI Branch

Iain Dundas – December 2023

Crew Member at Salcombe RNLI

Bruce du Preez – September 2023

Helm at Portishead RNLI

Congratulations to the happy couple!

Baby onboard

In our Winter 2023 issue of Lifeboat magazine, we shared the happy news that Emily and Tom of New Brighton RNLI were expecting their first child – now we’re thrilled to announce their little one has arrived. Welcome to the world, Harry! He was born on 2 January, weighing 7lb and 13oz.

Emily and Tom say: ‘We are absolutely overjoyed to finally meet our little boy, and we can’t wait to start making memories with him. We know how excited the crew are to meet him too, though we don’t share their enthusiasm for getting him on a shore crew plan just yet!’

Congratulations to the new family on their exciting adventure – we’re so pleased for you.

Richard Hennings – October 2023

RNLI Fundraiser

Don Hills – January 2024

Vice President at the Hitchin and District

RNLI Branch

Bob Grieve – December 2023

Volunteer at Poole Lifeboat Station and Museum

Sheila Gyngell – January 2024

Fundraiser and supporter of Medway

RNLI Branch

Pam Mann – November 2023

Vice President at the Hitchin and District

RNLI Branch

Paul Mann – November 2023

Fundraiser at the Hitchin and District

RNLI Branch

Bruce McLean – September 2023

Former Coxswain at Peterhead RNLI

Eileen O’Pray – October 2023

Former staff member at Poole

Rose Ritchie – December 2023

Former Souvenir Secretary at Queensferry RNLI

Sir Peter Walters – July 2023

Former Vice President

Shena Young – November 2023

Former Area Fundraising Manager (Scotland)

Photos: Jayne Gibbs, RNLI/(Jamee Kirkpatrick, Connor Wray)

Baby Harry – already kitted up!

Neil and Monika stopped by the station to take some snaps

Commemorate 200 years of RNLI lifesaving

Photo:

Troy Newton