BBC community awards ceremony recognises Burnham-on-Sea RNLI volunteer
Burnham RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Matt Davies attended the BBC Somerset awards ceremony, yesterday evening, Sunday 28 September, having been nominated for a making a difference award, volunteers section. We, at Burnham,RNLI lifeboat station, were very pleased to find he was successful.
The summary on the BBC website summarised Matt as follows:-
‘Matthew Davies is an RNLI volunteer from Burnham-on-Sea who has dedicated 31 years of his life to saving lives at sea. He is currently a volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager at the RNLI in the town, a station with one of the fastest and highest tidal ranges in the world.’
Matt started his lifesaving volunteer career at local independent lifeboat charity Burnham Area Rescue Boat, which now runs three BARB Search and Rescue hovercraft.
In 2003 Matt transferred over to the RNLI, when the charity returned to Burnham, and during his time has served as crew, tractor driver, and other roles, before becoming Lifeboat Operations Manager, after the retirement of LOM Ricky Holmes, now deceased.
Matt says in response to the accolade; ‘It was a privilege and an honour to spend the evening at the BBC Somerset make a difference awards ceremony, the room was packed with volunteers who give their time in various ways to support the communities they live in.
It was a big surprise to find out earlier this year that I had been nominated in the volunteer category and an even bigger surprise to be voted as the winner.
My time volunteering for the RNLI in Burnham-on Sea is hugely rewarding and something I have been dedicated to for just over 30 years! It’s amazing to have been recognised with this award and singled out in this way in a room full of people that all deserved an award.
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.