Lyme Regis lifeboat week off to an ‘awesome’ start
Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis – one of the resort’s major summer attractions since the 1970s – got under way today (Sat) with the town’s mayor declaring he was ‘in awe’ of the dedication displayed by the volunteers of the RNLI.
Cllr Philip Evans MBE officially launched the week praising the work of the Lyme Regis life-savers and those ashore who support the sea-going crew by running the lifeboat station and the record breaking gift shop next door which, he said, raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for the charity.
Following the mayor’s speech four members of the crew were interviewed by former BBC TV South reporter Chris Coneybeer about why they volunteer 24/7 for the charity that saves lives at sea.
Petrina Muscroft, Giles Bristow, Cris Cadby and Rob Emery drew applause from spectators after explaining how they responded night and day to coastguard requests to launch the lifeboat in an emergency.
The lifeboat station’s newest recruit, Rob Emery, said that when he explained to a customer that he might have to return later to complete his work if his pager sounded the response from his client was: ‘Don’t worry about that. Rescuing someone in trouble at sea is much more important than cleaning my carpet.’
The tenth series of Saving Lives at Sea begins on BBC 2 at 8pm on Thursday July 31st. The Lyme Regis lifeboat crew are due to feature later in the series.
The rest of lifeboat week involves events for all the family including an aerobatic display on Wednesday and Thursday by aircraft from the Navy Wings collection at the Royal Naval Air Station, Yeovilton.
Ends
Notes to editors:
Photo 1. Lyme Regis Mayor Cllr Philip Evans MBE opens lifeboat week. Photo Credit: Richard Horobin
Photo 2. Former BBC TV reporter Chris Coneybeer interviews Lyme Regis lifeboat crew. Photo credit: RNLI/Richard Horobin
RNLI media contacts
For more information, please contact Nick Marks, volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer at Lyme Regis Lifeboat Station on 07568 187582 or [email protected]. or Emma Haines, Regional Communications Manager, on 07786 668847 or [email protected], or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.
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.
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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
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