Salvation Army Carol Concert hopes to hit top fund-raising notes for Shoreham RNLI

The Salvation Army at Hove is holding a Carol concert featuring the Brighton Welsh Male Voice Choir in aid of the Shoreham RNLI Lifeboat.

The concert is being held at The Salvation Army hall in Sackville Road, Hove, on Sunday 11 December at 6pm. Admission is free and there will be a collection in aid of the Shoreham lifeboat in the interval as well as lifeboat souvenirs on sale.
The Brighton Welsh Male Voice Choir will be singing traditional Carols accompanied by the band.

The RNLI is a registered charity and the Shoreham lifeboat is crewed by volunteers who provide a 24-hour search and rescue service.

Concert organiser Michelle Hayter said: “Each year the Hove Salvation Army likes to support a different charity with its Carol Concert and this year we have chosen the Shoreham RNLI, which is manned by volunteers who turn out to help those in difficulty at sea.”

For more information ring 01273 738036 or email hove@salvationarmy.co.uk

Paddle Round the Pier makes fund-raising splash for Shoreham RNLI

The popular Paddle Round The Pier event held every July has raised £11,000 for Shoreham RNLI Lifeboat Station.

Around 40,000 people from across the globe visited the two day event, which is held on Hove Lawns.Dave Samuel, Paddle Director, said: ‘It was a fantastic weekend with good weather and great sea conditions. The Shoreham lifeboat crews are always on standby to help any of our paddlers or sea goers and they are one of our three chosen charities to benefit from the event.’

Dave visited Shoreham lifeboat station on Sunday 16 October dressed in paddle surf wear to hand over the cheque to the crew.

A dress down day by Legal and General staff at Hove also raised £738 in aid of the Shoreham RNLI lifeboat crews.

Lisa Knight, team manager from Legal General presented the cheque to lifeboat coxswain Peter Huxtable after staff paid a £1 donation each for the privilege of wearing casual clothes to work for the day.

Lisa said: “We spilt the money between Shoreham RNLI and Selsey RNLI after the charity was nominated. I think all the lifeboat crews do a fantastic job, especially as they are voluntary. We are really lucky to have them here on the coast.”

Geoff Tugwell who dedicated 41 years of his life to the Shoreham lifeboat has died at the age of 76.

Geoff , who was born in Shoreham, joined the RNLI as a volunteer shore helper in 1959 before becoming a crew member, serving on six of the station’s lifeboats under seven coxswains.

He was emergency mechanic and first aid crewman and also served on the inshore lifeboat from 1967 until 1982.

Geoff got involved after working for Shoreham Harbour repairing rock groynes on the beach one day.

He helped bring the lifeboat ashore a couple of times and six weeks later was asked to join.

The first lifeboat he served on was the Rosa Woodd and Phyllis Lunn and the last was the Tyne class Hermoine Lady Colwyn. In his 41 years voluntary service with the RNLI, Geoff was awarded two framed vellums and a letter of thanks for various rescues.

These included the rescue of the crew from the drilling rig William Allpress in 1971 off Rustington and the famous rescue of 26 crew from the stricken 3,500-ton Greek cargo vessel Athina B off Brighton in 1980.

In 1992 Geoff had to come off the lifeboat because of age restrictions and become station winch operator, launching and recovering the lifeboat and in 2000 at the age of 65 he finally retired from the RNLI.

In his 41 years service, the Shoreham lifeboats were credited with saving 610 lives.

Geoff worked for various scaffolding and building firms during his life including Westminster Scaffolding, UBM scaffolding and Travis Perkins.

He leaves a widow Rosalind, two sons Simon and Paul and three grandchildren Samuel, Sophie and Isobel.

Please click here to listen:- Radio clip of Ben Coe

August 31 2011
Shoreham RNLI inshore lifeboat rescues mother and daughter from the water

Author: Michelle Tugwell, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer

Shoreham RNLI inshore lifeboat crew rescued a mother and daughter who were in danger of being swept by the current on the River Adur.

The lifeboat was launched at 3.15pm on Wednesday (31 August) to a report of two people in the water. They found two women clinging to a vessel near the Norfolk Bridge at Shoreham.

It is believed the mother and her teenage daughter were playing near a slipway in a two-man inflatable dinghy, when the tide swept the dinghy away. It then sank, leaving the two women drifting in the river with the tide.

When the volunteer lifeboat crew arrived the two had managed to cling to anchor ropes on a vessel on the side of the river. The daughter had managed to get out and was standing on the bow of the vessel, holding the hand of her mother to stop her being away in the fast moving river.

They were brought on board the lifeboat and taken ashore at Ropetackle, Shoreham. They were shaken and cold but did not need first aid.

The mother said they had been sitting in an inflatable dingy when it got carried away in the current and had sunk leaving them both in the water. The coastguard met them once ashore and the lifeboat returned to station.

Mark Hayes, senior helmsman onboard the lifeboat, said the tide was running at 4-5 knots, adding that it was one of the strongest tides so far this year.

August 8 2011
East meets West on board the Shoreham RNLI lifeboat

Shoreham’s lifeboat crew are living proof that the RNLI’s reputation for saving lives at sea is known the world over, after providing a trip out on the new lifeboat for team of rookie Japanese coastguards.

A group of five people from the Japan Coast Guard visited the crew at the new Shoreham lifeboat station on Sunday (7 August), continuing an annual tradition, which is now in its eighth year.

The 18-24-year old trainees, who are based in London during a two-week exchange visit, caught the train to Shoreham to join the crew on a training exercise and find out how maritime search and rescue in the UK and Ireland differs from in their native land.

They were first group to tour Shoreham’s new state of the art lifeboat station and go out on Shoreham’s all weather Tamar class lifeboat Enid Collett.

Established in 1948, the Japan Coast Guard is a government organisation responsible for search and rescue, security of territorial waters and law enforcement at sea. The agency also has its own training academy in Hiroshima entitled the Japan Coast Guard Academy, an educational institute which trains students to become officers and future leading members.

Rob Cullen, volunteer crew member at Shoreham lifeboat station said that the annual visit provided an excellent learning opportunity for both parties, and revealed there is one thing which year in year out never fails to amaze the students.

He said: ‘The Japanese trainees are always shocked that RNLI lifeboats are crewed entirely by volunteers. I suppose that because they are run by the Japanese government they expect to find a similar setup in other countries.

‘They initially chose Shoreham because it is one of the most straightforward lifeboat stations on the coast to visit – it’s only an hour and a half on the train from London and our train station is a short walk from the lifeboat station. I think the fact that we launch from a slipway also attracts them as it’s seen as quite dramatic. It’s great – they come out with us on the boat, learn about how we handle certain situations and get to grips with some of the training exercises that RNLI volunteer crews have to go through.’

Kasumi Umezawa, 21, Daisuke Hashizume, 24 and Shausaku Tanaka, 18, who are all navigators and Kentaro Hatakeyama and Masaki Nakamura, both 18 and engineers, said they really enjoyed the experience,

Daisuke said: ‘The RNLI is very well respected back home for the quality of their training and dedication to saving lives at sea.’

August 7 2011
Shoreham RNLI lifeboat called to mid channel collision (VIDEO LINK AVAILABLE BELOW)

The Shoreham RNLI all weather lifeboat was called in the early hours today (7 August) 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 six blowing, the yacht with six people on board had suffered major damage. Two lifeboat crew members Steve Smith and Simon Tugwell 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.

Shoreham lifeboat coxswain Peter Huxtable said: ‘This is the biggest and most intensive call we have had with our new all weather Tamar lifeboat since she arrived last December.

‘The conditions were pretty bad for the time of the year but all the crew worked really hard. This is what we train for.’

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has launched an investigation into the collision.

To view video please click here to be redirected for download
(this may take some time to load)

July 6 2011
Former civic leader’s fund-raising gift for RNLI Shoreham lifeboat station

Former Worthing Mayor Ann Sayers presented a cheque for £7,921.36 to the crew at the RNLI Shoreham lifeboat station, which was one of her chosen charities for the year.

Mrs Sayers, who completed her mayoral year in May, chose four charities to fund-raise for during her time in office. She raised about £35,000 through holding a host of events ranging from a garden party to a Valentine’s ball through to a sports day and an antiques roadshow.

The money has been split between the four charities - RNLI Shoreham, Worthing and District Alzheimer’s Society, the Queen Alexandra Hospital Home for disabled ex-servicemen and women and the Sussex Air Ambulance.

Mrs Sayers had already met the Shoreham lifeboat crew after she was invited out on the new Tamar class all weather lifeboat, which arrived at the new lifeboat station last December.

She was also a guest at the lifeboat’s royal naming and lifeboat station dedication ceremony held last month.

She said: “The lifeboat crew at Shoreham do a fantastic job and they are all volunteers. I like to support a local charity like the RNLI because they provide a crucial service to the community.”

June 28 2011
Hundreds visit new RNLI Shoreham lifeboat station on its first open day

Around 500 people visited the RNLI Shoreham lifeboat station when it threw open its doors on Sunday (26 June) for its first open day.

The RNLI mascot Stormy Stan even took out a trip out on the new all-weather Tamar-class lifeboat Enid Collett when she launched on Sunday along with the D-class inshore lifeboat.

Visitors toured the station, queued to be shown around the lifeboat, bought souvenirs in the station shop, chatted to the lifeboat crews, admired the detailed lifeboat models on display by the lifeboat model society, had a go on the tombola and cake raffle stalls or enjoyed an ice cream.

There was even a chance to meet Captain Jack Sparrow lookalike from Pirates of the Caribbean fame.

The event raised more than £560 RNLI Shoreham.

Shoreham lifeboat coxswain Peter Huxtable said: “This was the lifeboat station’s first open day as the building was only completed last October.

“It was fantastic to see so many people turn up on Sunday, especially so many children who were really enthusiastic and keen to look around the lifeboat. We are really pleased with the support we have received from the community.”

Duke and Princess attract huge crowds for celebration at Shoreham Harbour RNLI lifeboat station

Crowds of lifeboat supporters flocked to the new RNLI lifeboat station in Shoreham Harbour yesterday (16 June) to witness a Royal double whammy, when HRH The Duke of Kent and HRH Princess Alexandra presided over a special ceremony.

Their Royal highnesses attended the newly-rebuilt lifeboat station for its official opening ceremony, and to officially name and dedicate their new Tamar class lifeboat.

The volunteer crew turned out in force for the occasion, while fundraisers, local branch members, supporters, staff and the media lined the gantry either side of the boathouse to watch the special occasion; in total, more than 400 people were present, making this one of the biggest RNLI naming ceremonies in local history.

The new Tamar class lifeboat was officially named Enid Collett, in honour of the donor whose sizeable legacy funded the majority of its £2.7M cost. Enid Collett lived in Great Shelford in Cambridgeshire, and her niece, Sue Glassock, is a strong supporter and a fundraiser for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

Sue, who was present at the ceremony, said: ‘My aunt became involved with lifeboats partly because her sister was a sailing teacher in the states, and partly because I was involved in fundraising. I used to send her lifeboat-themed cards every year so she was always very aware of the risk the crew took helping save lives at sea. It has been a privilege and an honour to be a part of today’s ceremony and it was lovely to see so many people turn out to witness it.’

The new Shoreham Harbour lifeboat station replaced the previous building which had been built in the 1930s. Although it had served its crew well on thousands of lifesaving missions, a new station was needed to cater for the needs of a modern-day lifeboat service. A £1M public appeal was launch to help towards the cost, and the new building was completed in early 2011.

Another special guest was local RNLI fundraiser Gwen Stapleton who, in 1936, attended the naming and opening ceremony for the previous Shoreham RNLI lifeboat station. At yesterday’s event Gwen met the current Duke of Kent, bringing back memories of meeting his father at the original opening in 1936.

Chris Bunby, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Shoreham RNLI lifeboat station, said: ‘The weather may not have been that good, but our lifeboat crew members are used to that! This was a really special day for everyone here at Shoreham Harbour, and it just shows what a long way we have come since the launch of the £1M public appeal for the station and the Tamar.

'We’re very grateful to the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra for being a huge part of what has been a very special day for us.’

June 19 2011
New RNLI Shoreham lifeboat station to hold its first open day

The RNLI Shoreham lifeboat station will be throwing open its doors on Sunday 26 June for its first open day.

The public can visit the new state-of-the-art lifeboat station from 10am to 4pm on Kingston Beach and see the new all-weather Tamar-class lifeboat Enid Collett and the D-class inshore lifeboat launch at 1pm and 3pm.

There will be a chance to meet the lifeboat crews, board the lifeboat, tour the station and buy a souvenir in the station shop.

There will also a tombola stall, the lifeboat model society will be displaying their lifeboat models, a visit by a fire engine from Shoreham Fire Station and a chance to win a rocking horse in the raffle.

There will be refreshments and children can meet Captain Jack Sparrow lookalike from Pirates of the Caribbean fame.

The event is free and all proceeds and donations go to RNLI Shoreham.

Shoreham lifeboat coxswain Peter Huxtable said: “This is the lifeboat station’s first open day as the building was only completed last October.

“We are looking forward to welcoming the community to see our fantastic new lifeboat station and lifeboat.”

Media are invited to attend the open day from 10am to 4pm. The lifeboats will launch at 1pm and 3pm (operationally permitting).

June 12 2011
Celebration ball to mark RNLI Shoreham’s new lifeboat station and lifeboat makes a big splash

A celebration ball held to mark the opening of the new RNLI lifeboat station at Shoreham and the arrival of the state-of-the-art \Tamar-class lifeboat proved to be a success.

Around 260 guests attended the event at The Grand Hotel, Brighton, last month and enjoyed a three-course meal with wine, magician, photographer, casino, charity auction, raffle and dancing to the live band Max’s Taxi.

The RNLI Shoreham lifeboat Enid Collett made an appearance off Brighton at the start of the ball and guests could see her out from the hotel’s conservatory windows.

Shoreham MP Tim Loughton acted as auctioneer at the charity auction during the evening, which raised £3,040 alone. The event raised a total of £14,000, which will go towards on going costs for crew training and for fitting out the lifeboat station at Shoreham.

The new boathouse consists of a 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 new 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.

Shoreham lifeboat coxswain Peter Huxtable said: ‘We are thrilled with our new lifeboat station and wanted to celebrate its completion and the arrival of our new lifeboat with all those who have supported us.”

“It was a fantastic evening and everyone said how much they enjoyed it.”

June 6 2011
Royal siblings to officially open new Shoreham Harbour RNLI lifeboat station and name new lifeboat

Hang out the bunting and strike up the band – RNLI crew and fundraisers are preparing to welcome TRH the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra to officially open the new Shoreham Harbour RNLI lifeboat station.

The two members of the Royal family will visit the lifeboat station on Thursday 16 June, tour the building, which has recently been rebuilt, and take a trip on the new Tamar class lifeboat, the Enid Collett.

Although the new station and the Tamar lifeboat have both been operational for some months, this event marks the official naming ceremony and service of dedication for both the station and lifeboat. The new Shoreham Harbour RNLI lifeboat station replaced the previous building which had been built in 1937.

Although it had served its crew well on thousands of lifesaving missions, a new station was needed to cater for the needs of a modern-day lifeboat service. A £1M public appeal was launch to help towards the cost, and the new building was completed in early 2011.

Meanwhile, the new lifeboat, Enid Collett, is named after the eponymous donor whose generous legacy funded the majority of the £2.7M cost. Enid herself lived in Great Shelford in Cambridgeshire, but had no direct connection with the sea or maritime matters. However Enid’s niece, Sue Glassock, is a strong supporter and a fundraiser for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and it is through their relationship that Enid decided to leave a gift in her will. Sue, from Westcliff-on-Sea, near Southend, will be present at the naming ceremony on 16 June and will hand the Tamar class lifeboat over to the care of the RNLI.

Chris Bunby, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Shoreham RNLI lifeboat station, said: ‘We are all excited and busily preparing for this very special day. HRH The Duke of Kent and HRH Princess Alexandra will meet our volunteer lifeboat crew, shore helpers, lifeboat shop assistants, local fundraisers and, of course, Sue Glassock, whose aunt made our new lifeboat possible. We look forward to welcoming everybody for what promises to be a memorable occasion.’

Elsewhere on the itinerary for the day, their Royal Highnesses will don RNLI protective clothing that is standard issue for all volunteer lifeboat crew members, and go afloat on the lifeboat for a demonstration of her capabilities.

In addition, they will meet another special guest in the form of RNLI fundraiser Gwen Stapleton who, in 1933, attended the naming and opening ceremony for the previous Shoreham RNLI lifeboat station. Gwen, who was aged just ten years old at the time sand is now 88, met Prince George, the Duke of Kent’s father, who presided over that ceremony.

The Royal visit and naming ceremony will take place at Shoreham RNLI lifeboat station, Kingston Beach, Shoreham, from midday until 2.45pm. Members of the public are welcome to watch the lifeboat launch on the day from around 1pm. They are welcome to stand on the beach and watch but are kindly requested not to park at the lifeboat station as spaces will be limited to guests of the Royal visit.

June 4 2011
RNLI Shoreham lifeboat station receives a
double cash boost

Adur district councillor Debbie Kennard who has just completed her year as council chairman raised £3904.91 for the Shoreham lifeboat station, which was one of her two chosen charities.

Mrs Kennard met the lifeboat crew at the lifeboat station and handed over the money she had raised during her year as civic leader. One of her fund-raising highlights was the Adur’s Got Talent competition she helped to promote with the Sussex Academy of Music in Shoreham, which raised £1,113.17 for the lifeboat.

She said: “The lifeboat crew at Shoreham do a fantastic job and they are all volunteers. I like to support a local charity like the RNLI because they provide a crucial service to the community.”

The lifeboat station was also given a cheque for £3,647 from the RNLI Storrington and District fund-raising branch after they did a sponsored swim and walk in aid of RNLI Shoreham.

Members of the branch visited the new lifeboat station and lifeboat and handed the cheque to the lifeboat coxswain Peter Huxtable.

Last December the new £2.7 million Tamar-class lifeboat Enid Collett arrived at its brand new purpose built lifeboat station, which the community helped fund raise for.

May 27 2011
Artist donates ‘Restless Wave’ painting to the RNLI Shoreham lifeboat station

A painting, which took artist Marcus Finch two years to create, is now on display in the new Shoreham lifeboat station.

The work of art called ‘Restless Wave’ depicts Shoreham’s former Tyne-class lifeboat the Hermione Lady Colwyn.

The framed acrylic painting shows the all-weather lifeboat at sea with a rescue helicopter hovering above it.

Marcus said: “Many years ago I produced a painting for Shoreham lifeboat station which was printed as a card and hopefully continues to raise money for the RNLI.

“Then a couple of years ago, I offered to donate another painting to help with fund-raising again. One of the crew gave me some reference pictures to work from.

“It’s turned into a bit of an epic and features the previous Shoreham lifeboat – Hermione Lady Colwyn.”

Marcus presented the painting to Shoreham lifeboat coxswain Peter Huxtable and it is has been hung on one of the walls at the lifeboat station.

The artist, who is a regular exhibitor in the Adur Art Trail and a member of the Adur Art Collective, also donated a smaller framed acrylic print of the ‘Restless Wave’ to be auctioned off at the Shoreham Lifeboat Celebration Ball, held earlier this month.

This raised £140 for the RNLI Shoreham and there is also a number of limited edition prints of the painting that will be on sell at the lifeboat station.

Peter Huxtable said: “We are delighted with the painting by Marcus and it was a great surprise when he turned up with it at the lifeboat station. It is now proudly on display so visitors to the station can also see it.

“His print, which was in our charity auction at the lifeboat ball, also raised some money for us as will his smaller prints we will be selling. Marcus has been most generous and I know the crew appreciate all his effort and support.”

Photo: L-R Marcus Finch presenting the ‘Restless Wave’ painting to lifeboat coxswain Peter Huxtable on the lifeboat
Credit: Alex Finch

May 8 2011
RNLI Shoreham lifeboats search for missing three in a dinghy

The RNLI Shoreham all-weather lifeboat and the inshore lifeboat were launched at 6.35pm on Saturday 7 May to search for a missing inflatable dinghy with three people on board.

The craft, which had been bought by its occupants the day before, had been seen leaving Brighton Marina in the late afternoon. The three on board said they were going to row west along the coast to Splash Point, Worthing.

They were last seen around 2.30pm at Shoreham Power Station but as no had seen them arriving in Worthing or going back to Brighton Marina, they were reported missing early in the evening.

The Shoreham lifeboats started a search between Shoreham Harbour and Worthing Pier, while the RNLI Brighton lifeboat searched from Brighton Marina to Shoreham.

After 45 minutes into the search, the coastguard helicopter arrived on scene and joined the search. Coastguard officers were also searching the beaches. They eventually discovered that the occupants had rowed ashore at Hove beach earlier that afternoon and were safe and well at home having abandoned their row to Worthing.

The three lifeboats and helicopter were then stood down.

April 25 2011
Busy weekend for RNLI Shoreham inshore lifeboat

The hot weather meant Shoreham’s inshore lifeboat was kept busy at the weekend.

The D-class Barry Lazell lifeboat went to the assistance of a 17ft speedboat Barracuda with four people on board which had broken down just west of the West Pier at Brighton on Saturday 23 April at 5.30pm.

It took the speedboat under tow back to the Sussex Yacht Club at Shoreham.

On Sunday 24 April the inshore lifeboat was sent to a small sailing vessel reported to be stuck under the Norfolk Bridge on a fast ebbing tide on Sunday at 7.50pm. The crew found the vessel aground with four people wading in knee deep water and securing their vessel to a mooring with the aid of an inflatable dinghy.

When it was established that there was no danger the inshore lifeboat crew was sent to another boat adrift further up the River Adur to the Tollbridge with three people on board.

The lifeboat took the vessel, which had broken down, under tow to its mooring buoy near the Norfolk Bridge.

April 15 2011
Calling all Take That fans – there’s a chance of a lifetime at Shoreham RNLI’s Lifeboat Celebration Ball

If you love Take That – then look no further. The organisers of Shoreham RNLI’s Lifeboat Celebration Ball being held next month have bagged a pair of diamond hospitality tickets to see the band at Wembley this summer.

It combines the very best seats in the stadium on 4 July with full hospitality before and after the performance including complimentary drinks and hot and cold food and also an invite to the official after-show party at which the band often make an appearance.

Also thrown in is a club Wembley concert goodie bag, concert programme and souvenir pass. The prize, donated by Clearanswer Call Centres Ltd, say all the Take That concerts are completely sold out this summer so this is literally a prize that money can’t buy.

This fantastic package will be auctioned off at the Shoreham Lifeboat Celebration Ball being held at The Grand Hotel, Brighton, on Saturday, May 14 from 7.15pm to 1am.

The event is being held to mark the opening of the new RNLI lifeboat station at Shoreham and the arrival of the state-of-the-art Tamar-class lifeboat. All proceeds from the ball, which also features Pimms on arrival, a three-course meal with wine, magician, photographer, casino, charity auction and raffle and dancing to the live band Max’s Taxi, will go towards on going costs for crew training and for fitting out the lifeboat station at Shoreham.

Shoreham lifeboat coxswain Peter Huxtable said: ‘We are thrilled with our new lifeboat station and want to celebrate its completion and the arrival of our new lifeboat with all those who have supported us.

“Those Take That fans, who successfully bid for this wonderful prize, will not only get a chance to see them from the best seats in the house, but they will be raising money for the RNLI, a charity which relies on voluntary donations.”

Tickets for the black tie event cost £55 each and are available from Michelle Tugwell on 01273 887178 or email michelletugwell@btinternet.com or from Geraldine Huxtable on 01273 454545.

March 22 2011
Stricken rower saved by canoeist and RNLI Shoreham lifeboat crew

A man whose rowing boat capsized in the River Adur at Shoreham owes his life to a passing canoeist and the RNLI inshore lifeboat crew.

The D-class inflatable lifeboat launched to a report of a person in the water at 2.45pm on Tuesday 22 March just north of the Norfolk Bridge at Shoreham. When the crew located the casualty in the river, he was sitting in another craft having been found exhausted in the fast ebbing water by a canoeist paddling by.

The 65-year-old man from Lancing was freezing cold and complaining of chest pains. The mobile coastguard was on scene. The inshore crew transferred him into the lifeboat and took him to a slipway by the Adur Activities Centre near the bridge where a waiting paramedic crew took him to hospital in an ambulance.

Inshore lifeboat helmsman Simon Williams said: “The man owes his life to a passing canoeist who found him in the water. He had no lifejacket and had been rowing a 6ft boat when he capsized. We believe he may have been in the water for at least 20 minutes. The river was flowing really quickly at the point and any longer he would have been swept away.

“The canoeist paddled off before we could thank him. The casualty was really lucky he was found in time.”

February 21 2011
New RNLI Shoreham lifeboat station proving to be a hit with visitors

More than 1,500 people have been through the doors of Shoreham’s new RNLI lifeboat station since it opened last month.

In the first five weeks of 2011, 1,649 visitors have taken a tour of the station on Kingston Beach, seen its new state-of-the-art RNLI Tamar-class lifeboat and browsed in the souvenir shop.

Lifeboat head launcher and visits officer Keith Phelps said: ‘Our volunteer guides have been really busy since we opened the boathouse to the public. We are happy there has been so much interest from people wanting to see our new station and lifeboat and thank visitors for their support.’

The new boathouse consists of a 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 new 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.

The lifeboat station is open 10am to 2pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday. There are 15 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. Just pop in. There is no charge for tours but a donation to the RNLI would be appreciated. For large group tours or school visits either pop into the lifeboat station during the hours above to arrange in advance or email shoreham-lifeboat-visits@hotmail.com with your contact details.