Penarth RNLI Celebrates with the Charity CEO
The Chief Executive Officer of the RNLI charity, Peter Sparkes, delighted volunteers at Penarth RNLI Lifeboat Station during his visit with inspiring words of support and the presentation of long service and commendation awards.
On a pleasant Friday afternoon, Peter Sparkes arrived at the station to the excitement of volunteers from various departments, including Operations, Fundraising, Retail, Water Safety, Education and Awareness. The purpose of his visit was to engage with volunteers and sincerely thank them for their dedicated service.
Laurie Pavelin, Penarth RNLI Chair, proceeded to asked Peter to do us the honour of presenting some awards. Long Service Awards were presented to John Smerkinich from Water Safety and Station Visits, who has volunteered for over 20 years, and Pam Walton who has volunteered in various roles and currently volunteers in the shop, with involvement in the RNLI for 50 years! Pam expressed her joy and was heard saying:
‘I have thoroughly enjoyed working with every person and it feels like a family, a real community... I suppose, it’s alright.’
Lifeboat Operations Manager Phil Lay then acknowledged the contributions of Graeme ‘Pikey’ Jones and Owain Davies, two helms at Penarth. During Graeme’s extensive 30 years of service, he has been involved in the rescue of 91 lives, while Owain has also played a significant role in saving 22 lives in his 727 times on the water over a period of 22 years volunteering.
As a surprise Phil Lay asked Peter Sparkes to present Laurie Pavelin with an Excellence in Volunteering Award which had been deservedly recommended by Jason Dunlop the previous Lifeboat Operations Manager and supported by those who had worked alongside Laurie for many years.
During the visit, Peter also shared his vision of unifying the functions of the different parts of the charity under a single support service for the 9,000 volunteers across the UK. Those present had the opportunity to provide observations and feedback on current processes and operations at RNLI stations in today's context. There has been a significant shift from the traditional role of the charity, which focused primarily on rescuing seamen from stricken ships by rowing boat, to a more versatile service that can swiftly assist people in trouble, such as day-trippers, swimmers, fishermen, walkers, paddleboarders, and kitesurfers.
One of the key topics discussed was the RNLI’s role in saving lives along the south east coast of England. The RNLI has eight stations in the area that often assist with casualty vessels in the Channel. Notably, 97% of crossings are handled by UK Border Force, while approximately 3% involve RNLI lifeboats, that are in the water or sinking and those cases typically concern saving lives at sea.
Many of the boats involved in these rescues contain children who have endured long, cramped journeys, facing risks of being crushed or pushed overboard as the crowd shifts. The substandard inflatable boats are prone to buckle and collapse and can contain dangerous fuel spillages. In previous rescue operations, many children have suffered burns from fuel mixed with water in the bottom of these vessels. It is important to note that the RNLI mission is to save lives without prejudice or judgment.
Peter Sparkes continued by referencing the very moving first episode of the new series of the BBC's Saving Lives at Sea. This first episode concentrated on the subject of the work in the Channel saying that; ‘We rescue people, we don’t rescue migrants. A fire fighter wouldn’t not go into a burning building to rescue somebody because they were of a different race, gender or anything else…. Most sentient people absolutely understand what we are doing and the silent majority of the country thinks we are doing the right thing.’
After the room had reflected on these wise words of support Peter concluded the event by expressing his gratitude on behalf of the charity and the community for the dedication and commitment of all the volunteers.
Notes to editors
- To learn more about Penarth Lifeboat Station please visit: https://www.facebook.com/RNLIPenarth
- Photo Credits: Nick White RNLI LPO
Media contacts
For more information please contact Penarth RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer, Nick White on
[email protected] or 07818680667
Alternatively you can contact Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith, Regional Communications Manager on [email protected] or 07977 728 315 or the RNLI press office on 01202 336789 / [email protected].
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.