February 7 2012
RNLI Shoreham Lifeboat crew volunteer 1,000 hours at seaThe volunteer crews at the RNLI Shoreham lifeboat Station spent more than 1,000 hours at sea in 2011.
Statistics show the Shoreham all weather Tamar class lifeboat was launched 28 times last year while the inshore D class boat went out 45 times. They helped 80 people in distress at sea and 20 of those shouts were at night time.
The lifeboat crew spent 409 hours at sea on services and another 590 hours out on exercise and training in 2011.
Overall, lifeboats from the RNLI’s 235 stations in the UK and Republic of Ireland launched a total of 8,905 times in 2011, an increase on the 8,713 lifeboat launches in 2010. And making it the second busiest year for launches since 1991. Overall crews assisted a total of 7,976 people, a slight decrease on the 8,313 people assisted in 2010.
Andrew Ashton, Divisional Inspector for the RNLI East Division, said: ‘These figures show our lifeboat crews were once again involved in a great many rescues on the seas around the UK and Republic of Ireland.
‘From capsized rowing vessels to stranded kayakers, from drowning pets to broken down motorboats, from walkers cut off by the tide to sea anglers caught out by bad weather – our crews launch to whoever is in trouble, whenever they’re in trouble.
‘But they can only do what they do with training, and with the best equipment possible. Which is why the RNLI is replacing lifejackets around the coast of the UK and Republic of Ireland. Throughout the rest of the year we will be fundraising to help fund these new lifejackets, so we hope that these figures speak to the hearts of the nation and they can help us help others.’
January 21 2012
Awards for RNLI Shoreham lifeboat crew for mid-Channel collision rescueTwo Shoreham lifeboat crewmen have received awards from the RNLI for their actions during a mid-Channel collision between a yacht and a beam trawler.
Steve Smith, who is the new Shoreham lifeboat coxswain, and second mechanic Simon Tugwell have each been presented with framed letters of thanks signed by RNLI Chairman Admiral the Lord Boyce for the rescue last August.
He said: “Your determination, courage and seamanship were of the highest order during this long and arduous service. Well done.”
The Shoreham RNLI all weather lifeboat was called in the early hours of 7 August 2011 to a report of a collision between a yacht and beam trawler in the mid of the English Channel.The Tamar class Enid Collett launched at 2.15am to the vessels 23 miles south east of Shoreham. The 35ft yacht Crazy H which was on a voyage from Shoreham to France had collided with the 60ft trawler Atlantis Belle and had been dismasted on the edge of the shipping lanes.
With heavy rain and a gale force seven blowing, the yacht with six people on board had suffered major damage. Steve and Simon launched the inflatable Y boat from the lifeboat and went alongside the yacht.
They cut the rigging and mast away while a tow line was attached from the lifeboat to the yacht. Steve and Simon stayed on board the vessel but while under a tow a woman on the boat injured herself on a rope and the Newhaven all weather lifeboat was called to take her off.
She came alongside the vessel, where the Shoreham lifeboatmen were administering first aid to the woman, who had fractured her wrist. She was taken on board the Newhaven lifeboat and taken ashore and transferred to hospital.
Meanwhile the yacht continued under tow to Shoreham Harbour with the five on board and Steve and Simon from the lifeboat arriving at 7.15am. It was taken through the locks to the Lady Bee Marina to a berth.
Admiral the Lord Boyce said: “This was a hazardous service for you because of the violent movements of both the Y boat and the Crazy H but you successfully boarded the yacht. It took some 20 minutes of hard work in extreme conditions to clear the rigging and then a woman crew member on the yacht was injured. Once you had administered first aid and she had been evacuated to the Newhaven Lifeboat, the tow of the Crazy H continued slowly for another four hours and you both ensured several torrential rains showers as you manned the cockpit of the Crazy H. Your determination, courage and seamanship were of the highest order during this long and arduous service. Well done.”
Steve said: “The conditions were pretty bad for the time of the year but we were just doing our job. This is what we train for.”
Simon said: “The woman who was injured came to see us a few days later to thank us. We were just glad we were on hand to help out.”
January 16 2012
RNLI Shoreham Lifeboat Station
has more than 20,000 visitors in its first yearSince the new Shoreham Lifeboat Station opened its doors to the public a year ago, 20,354 people visited to look around and see the RNLI’s Tamar-class lifeboat.
The figures include casual visitors and organised groups with May and June being particularly busy with nearly 5,000 visits alone.
People have poured through the doors since the state-of-the-art boathouse on Kingston Beach opened for public viewing in January 2011. It consists of a new larger boat hall, crew training room, proper drying facilities for wet crew kit, changing facilities and a viewing platform for the public.
The old lifeboat station was demolished in January 2009 and work started immediately to build a new modern lifeboat station to house the RNLI’s new Tamar-class lifeboat and its inshore lifeboat along with two new slipways.
The lifeboat station opened in October 2010 following a three-year community appeal to raise £1million towards the new build. The station’s new Tamar lifeboat arrived in Shoreham on December 10 and had its first operational shout two days later.
The lifeboat is named Enid Collett, after the deceased donor, whose generous legacy funded the majority of the £2.7million cost of the boat. She is the first Tamar class lifeboat to go on service at a lifeboat station in the RNLI’s south east region.2011 was a busy year for Shoreham Lifeboat Station. As well as opening to the public, in June Princess Alexandra and her brother the Duke of Kent officially named the lifeboat and dedicated the new station.
An open day, the first to be held at the new lifeboat station also that month, attracted more than 600 through the doors.
Last year the two lifeboats at Shoreham launched a total of 71 times.
Casual visitors can just turn up to have a look around. The lifeboat station is open from 10am to 2pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday. There are volunteer tour guides to show people around the station and the RNLI souvenir shop is also open at the same time.
No appointment is necessary for families or small groups. There is no charge for tours but a donation to the RNLI would be appreciated.
For larger group tours or school visits phone 01273 596376 or email shoreham-lifeboat-visits@hotmail.com with your contact details.
hangs up his lifejacket after 43 years service
crew member at Shoreham Lifeboat Station 43 years ago.
During his years of service he has shown selfless dedication to the RNLI and helped to save hundreds of lives.
In fact he has saved 449 lives during his service serving on both the all weather and inshore lifeboats.
Born in London, he moved to Shoreham-by-Sea when he was aged eight. Having grown up by the sea he became a fisherman and was soon asked to join the lifeboat crew.
In 1991 he became coxswain of the Shoreham lifeboat becoming the second longest serving coxswain in the history of the station.
In 2005 he was awarded an MBE for services to the RNLI. He has also been awarded two RNLI vellums for helping to rescue the crew of the stricken Greek vessel, the Athina B, off Brighton in 1980 and as coxswain for saving the lives of two crew on board the yacht Trimley Maid, which was in trouble in gale force nine winds off the coast in June1999.
Peter also worked tirelessly for three years to raise money and promote the £1 million community appeal to help build a new lifeboat station at Shoreham.
He even took to the skies to publicise the appeal and wing walked his way into the record books by becoming the first ever RNLI coxswain to attempt the daring act in 2008.
The biplane he was standing on flew directly over the lifeboat station at Shoreham, giving him a bird’s eye view of it and the seas he has navigated while rescuing those in trouble.
In January 2009 he saw the old Shoreham lifeboat station on Kingston Beach, built in 1933, demolished and in September 2010 finally stepped into the new completed state-of-the-art lifeboat station.
Three months later and having already seen action on three previous station lifeboats, he proudly brought the new £2.7million RNLI lifeboat Enid Collett, the only Tamar-class lifeboat on the south coast, back to Shoreham and into her new boathouse.
On his last official day of service, the crew organised a final launch of the lifeboat and a surprise where he was winched off by the Solent Coastguard helicopter and put on the Newhaven lifeboat.
A modest Peter, said: “I couldn’t do my job as coxswain without the support of the lifeboat crew and my family. It is a team effort.
“It has been a massive part of my life and I will miss it when the adrenaline kicks in and takes over on a shout, and you know you have been able to help someone in trouble and being part of a team.”
Steve Smith
, who joined as a crew member in 1999, is the new Shoreham lifeboat coxswain.