Alongside his full time position, now known as a senior station technician. Richard Dowson has been appointed volunteer Coxswain of the Whitby Lifeboat Station following the retirement of the station's full time Coxswain.
Richard Dowson joined the RNLI 23 years ago at just 20 years old.
His hard work and commitment to the charity paid off and in 2010 he was offered a full time role for the RNLI as a technician.
In 2014 Richard was made full time station mechanic at Whitby, responsible for the maintenance of the lifeboats.
The role of coxswain involves supporting the volunteer crew in their training, ensuring their safety at sea, and bringing the whole crew together.
In his spare time Richard is a keen gardener and champion onion grower. But when the pager goes Richard has to down tools and launch the lifeboat.
Richard said: 'Some of the volunteers I have grown up alongside and some are new the RNLI - it is the commitment to saving lives at sea of every single volunteer that makes a crew and I'm very proud to be part of that.'
RNLI/Ceri Oakes
Richard Dowson, Senior Station Technician and Coxswain at Whitby 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.
