20 Year Service Medal for Southwold crew member Jochem Voogt
RNLI Chief Executive Peter Sparkes visited Southwold Lifeboat Station on Saturday 30 August, where he met with crew and volunteers before formally presenting Jochem Voogt with his 20-year service medal in recognition of two decades of dedicated lifesaving service.
Jochem moved to the UK from the Netherlands in the 1990s and now runs a workshop on Southwold harbour, specialising in boatbuilding, paddleboard crafting, and bespoke furniture. A passionate windsurfer, Jochem joined the Southwold RNLI crew in 2005 and has been a dedicated and popular member ever since.
Southwold Lifeboat Operations Manager, Simon Hazelgrove said ‘For twenty years now Jochem has been a volunteer at the heart of the station. He is a remarkable man,a joy to be around, totally reliable and considerate. We are all so grateful to have him onboard both as Crew and as Launch Authority. One of a kind.’
Following the medal presentation, RNLI Chief Executive Peter Sparkes joined volunteers at the opening of the Sole Bay Exhibition at Buckenham Gallery, Southwold. The exhibition showcases the work of local artist Kate Batchelor, who is generously donating 5% of all sales to the RNLI. In addition, Kate is raffling one of her featured paintings, with tickets available at the gallery for £5 each.
Kate shared: ‘The Sole Bay exhibition has been inspired by my fascination with the sea. I love capturing its ever-changing moods and beauty in paint and print.’ ‘While celebrating Sole Bay through my artwork, it’s been a real pleasure to partner with Buckenham Galleries to support the incredible work of the Southwold lifeboat station.’
The exhibition runs until 27 September (closed Sundays).
But the day didn’t end there for Peter and the hardworking volunteers. They travelled south to Aldeburgh, Southwold’s flank station, to attend the naming ceremony of the new Atlantic 85 lifeboat, Ralph — a fitting close to a day that celebrated both service and community spirit.
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.