Volunteer award for Redcar RNLI Water Safety Team
John Reece, Water Safety Officer and Rob Eddon, Water Safety Advisor at Redcar RNLI have been awarded Excellence in Volunteering Awards for the outstanding work the team has done over recent years.
During 2024 alone, the team gave over 100 water safety and general interest talks to more than 8000 people, ranging from 3-years-olds at a pre-school group to a 103 year-old resident of a care home.
The awards were presented as a surprise at an informal visit by senior RNLI staff, made during a routine training session and crew meeting.
John Reece said: ‘Rob and I were both genuinely surprised when at the end of our crew meeting, we were suddenly called up to be presented with these awards. Being presented by Leanna Lakes, Chief Operating Officer of the RNLI made for a really special occasion.’
Leanna Lakes, the RNLI’s Chief Operating Officer, together with Gareth Morrison, Head of Water Safety and George Pickford, Interim Head of Region, spoke to many of the Redcar RNLI volunteers during their visit and were able to observe some of the lifeboat station’s day-to-day activities.
Dave Cocks, Redcar RNLI Chairman, said: ‘It was a pleasure to welcome the visitors to the lifeboat station. Leanna Lakes only joined the RNLI a couple of months ago. She was genuinely interested in Redcar’s history, which pre-dates the RNLI itself, and praised the commitment our volunteers show day in and day out.
After the visit Mike Picknett, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Redcar, said: ‘The feedback from Leanna and the team was very positive. They were really impressed with everyone they spoke to and everything they saw.’
RNLI Media contacts
For more information, please contact Andy Watson, Lifeboat Press Officer, Redcar RNLI on 07954 435834 or 01642 484491 or email [email protected]
Clare Hopps, RNLI Regional Communications Manager, North and East: 07824 518641.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity 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 146,000 lives.
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