31
January 2018
Georgia joins the volunteers of Lyme Regis
RNLI
A 23
year old general manager has become only the fourth woman ever to join the
volunteer crew of the RNLI lifeboat in Lyme Regis.
Lyme-born Georgia Robson has enrolled as shore crew and is now attending
regular training sessions at the lifeboat station on the Cobb.
Georgia, a former Woodroffe School pupil, aims eventually to become a
sea-going crew member. She enjoys regular trips with her ex-Royal Marine
father Jim, in his four metre RiB (rigid inflatable boat).
Georgia
applied to join after meeting members of the crew at last year’s
Remembrance Day parade.
“I have
always enjoyed the sea, and after talking to crew members it just seemed
natural to apply to join them. I am thoroughly enjoying the camaraderie
during training sessions.”
Georgia
is general manager with Tukxi Ltd, an Axminster firm which imports and
converts Tuk Tuk auto rickshaws.
Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks, said: ‘Georgia follows Grace and
Shona and now joins Nikky and we are delighted to welcome her aboard.’
How Garry turned old wellies into a fun fund
raiser
What to do with the Lyme Regis lifeboat crews' worn out yellow wellies was
the puzzle for long serving RNLI volunteer Garry Gibbs. Landscape gardener
Garry took the redundant footwear home to his workshop.
And 8 hours and 7 boots later the result was a dog-shaped model which will
become a star attraction during lifeboat week this summer.
Garry, a member of the lifeboat crew for 22 years, said " A dog seemed the
obvious answer to the recycling issue with the old wellies. I hope to make
another animal when more old wellies become available.”
Now,
organisers of Lyme Regis lifeboat week - starting on July 28 - are
planning to run a competition to name this very rare breed and to raise
funds for the RNLI charity.
13 January 2018
Lifeboat launched to ‘two cut off by tide’
Lyme
Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched today following a report that two people
were thought to be cut off by the tide between Lyme Regis and Charmouth.
The
alarm was raised by National Coastwatch volunteer Howard Lyne on duty at
the Charmouth look-out station.
The
lifeboat was at sea within seven minutes of the coastguard request to
launch at 2.40pm.
After a
comprehensive shoreline search by the lifeboat crew nothing was found and
coastguards called off the operation.
Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks said ;’It seems the two people made
their own way to safety but this shout demonstrated how well the
Coastwatch volunteers, the coastguards and ourselves can work together.
And it is always better to be safe than sorry.’
2
January 2018
Lifeboat launched to ‘three cut off by
tide’
Lyme
Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched yesterday (New Year’s Day) when
coastguards were alerted that possibly up to three people had been cut off
by the tide on the beach between Lyme Regis and Charmouth.
The volunteer crews’ pagers
sounded the alarm at 4.20pm and the lifeboat crew were quickly on the
scene east of the harbour. It was soon established that one man was
involved and was able to leave the beach, making his own way to safety.
He was then met by coastguards ashore and the lifeboat crew were stood
down.
10 December 2017
Lifeboat crew
tributes at Christmas party
An award for 30 years’ voluntary
service, tongue-in-cheek tributes and a Christmas dinner all contributed
to the success of the Lyme Regis lifeboat crew’s annual presentation party
last night (Saturday).
Some 50 people – RNLI crew members,
their friends and family – attended the event at the Harbour Inn.
Among the awards were the White Star
Line award to helm Mark Colley, the Watch Your Language award to John Bird
and the Bent Propeller trophy to Brian Street.
Consultant surgeon Ken Lavery, who is
a Deputy Launching Authority, received a photograph of himself on the
ground – not needing hospital treatment ! –after failing to clear a fence
during a crew visit to an Exeter Chiefs rugby match.
Most popular award of the night,
receiving a standing ovation, was to postman Andrew Rice who has just
completed 30 years as a volunteer member of the lifeboat crew
1 December 2017
School visits to
lifeboat station are a hit with youngsters
The RNLI’s lifeboat station in Lyme Regis is
becoming a regular favourite for organised visits, particularly by school
parties from a wide area.
The latest visitors (yesterday, Thurs) were
44 nine to ten year olds from Wheatley primary school in Oxford.
The youngsters visited the station during
their stay at Hooke Court, the residential field study centre near
Beaminster.
They heard a talk by volunteer Deputy
Launching Authority Ian Marshall who told them about the way the RNLI
works and discussed beach and water safety. He also gave them a guided
tour of the lifeboat station and the lifeboat itself.
Mr Marshall said: ”We are always pleased to
welcome school parties. It is a great opportunity to stress safety issues
for the youngsters when they are enjoying themselves in or near the sea.
It also gives them the chance to ask me some tricky questions !”
A party visit can be organised by leaving a
message for Mr. Marshall on the lifeboat station telephone number 01297
442230.
27 November 2017
Photo Club puts
lifeboat in the picture with £250
Former members of the Lyme Bay Photographic
Club performed one of their last acts together at the weekend with a
cheque presentation to the RNLI.
The club recently closed and at their last
meeting they decided to split their remaining funds equally between the
Dorset Air Ambulance and the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild.
A cheque for £250 was presented to RNLI Lyme
Regis Deputy Launching Authority Ken Lavery at the town’s lifeboat station
yesterday (Sunday).
18 November 2017
Charmouth
Christmas Day swim plans get the go-ahead
Plans for the traditional
Christmas Day swim at Charmouth have been approved by the parish council,
and once again swimmers and dippers in weird and wonderful costumes are
expected to brave the waves.
Last year an estimated
2,000 people watched as some 250 swimmers took a dip in costumes ranging
from penguins to dinosaurs…and, of course, Santa.
Nearly £2000 was raised
for the RNLI at last year’s event which again this year starts promptly at
11a.m.
The swim is being
sponsored by the new landlords of Charmouth’s Royal Oak pub, Sue and Matt
Bracey, and they will be serving mulled wine to warm up the swimmers and
dippers.
Chairman of the
organisers, Irene Roper, of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild,
said: ”Fancy dress is not compulsory but it certainly adds to the fun. We
are hoping for another bumper turn out by swimmers and spectators alike.”
As usual volunteer
members of the RNLI Lyme Regis lifeboat crew will be on hand to keep an
eye on the swimmers.
5 November 2017
Gig club in safety exercise with RNLI crew
The
first of a series of exercises involving Lyme Regis’ successful gig club
and the town’s RNLI lifeboat crew was held today (Sunday).
Gig
club coach Chris Waller, who is leading a safety management team for the
rowers, said:”Our aim is to manage a better culture of safety for gig
clubs.
“We
have a comprehensive plan and we will be making safety recommendations,
based on our exercises with the RNLI, to the Cornish Pilot Gig
Association.”
Today’s
exercise with a gig crew of seven and their 32 foot vessel, Prospero,
involved the lifeboat going alongside the gig and a session to practise
towing.
Future
exercises are expected to involve scenarios including capsize, man
overboard, swamping, and casualty recovery.
The
Lyme Regis Gig Club now has 180 members.
27 October 2017
Lifeboat assists with search after ‘wreck
debris’ report
The volunteer crew of Lyme Regis lifeboat yesterday (Thurs) assisted with
a shoreline search along Chesil beach following reports of debris that
could have come from a wreck. Weymouth all-weather lifeboat and a
coastguard helicopter were also involved.
Lyme Regis lifeboat launched at 3.30pm to assist Weymouth lifeboat and a
coastguard team from Wyke Regis. There had been sightings of a number of
floating boxes and other debris off Chesil beach and Ferrybridge. .
During the search, a number of fishing boxes and other debris were
retrieved from the sea. The coastguard called off the search at 5pm.
16 October 2017
Volunteers in joint
exercise to save lives at sea
An exercise at sea to improve still further
radio communication skills between the volunteers of the National
Coastwatch Institution and the crew of the RNLI’s inshore lifeboat in Lyme
Regis was staged yesterday (Sunday).
Scenarios involving a kayaker in difficulties
and ‘man overboard’ were used to enable the Lyme Bay Coastwatch teams at
look-out stations at Charmouth and Burton Bradstock to practise directing
the lifeboat crew towards an incident.
David Last, deputy station manager of Lyme Bay
Coastwatch at Burton Bradstock, said: "The exercise achieved its aims for
us and we were very pleased with the result, and in particular our
involvement with the scenario to rescue a capsized kayaker."
RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks
said: ”This was a very useful exercise in developing the working
relationship between the lifeboat crew and our local NCI look-outs. Close co-operation between both teams is
essential in promoting our overall goal of saving lives at sea.”
15 October 2017
Tasty result as fish suppers raise £450 for RNLI
Two fish suppers in Lyme Regis over the weekend raised a
total of £454 for the RNLI’s life-saving charity.
One was held at the town’s sailing club where at least 54
fish and chip meals were served on Friday evening, and the other, on
Saturday, invited diners to a chalet above the bowling green where hostess
Petrina Muscroft served fish curry and rice, salmon salad or vegetarian
pasta.
Diners made a donation for their meals and Petrina,
Herbies, Baboo Gelato and the sailing club presented their profits to the crew at
the lifeboat station today (Sunday).
15th October
2017
Lifeboat answers two calls for help
The volunteer crew of Lyme Regis lifeboat
answered two calls for help yesterday (Saturday), both of which were false
alarms with “around good intent”. Coastguards were alerted after a man and
his dog reported to be cut off by the tide at Black Ven, East of the
harbour.
On arrival the lifeboat crew found a man
who did not need assistance. While still at sea, a report of a 'sail' in
the water off Burton Bradstock turned out to be a floating sack.
A lifeboat spokesman said “While both
these calls turned out to be false alarms, we always consider it be best
safe rather than sorry”.
The Lyme
Regis lifeboat crew have now answered 21 calls for help this year.
7 October 2017
Two rescued aboard
broken down cruiser
The crew of the Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat were
called to assist today (Sat) when a 30ft cabin cruiser broke down 16 miles
west of Portland Bill.
Weymouth RNLI’s ALB – All Weather Lifeboat –
towed the cruiser, with two people aboard, to Lyme Regis where the town’s
ILB – Inshore Lifeboat crew –took over and towed the vessel the short
distance to the safety of the harbour.
The Lyme Regis crew received the request to
launch from Solent coastguards at 2.48pm and returned to harbour just
after 4pm.
5 October 2017
Wanted – volunteer lifesavers to join
RNLI crew
Volunteers who run the RNLI lifeboat station
in Lyme Regis are appealing for new recruits to bring the crew up to full
strength.
Two Deputy Launching Authorities – DLAs – and
three shore crew members are being sought.
The DLAs are members of the management team
and are the first point of call for coastguards when they make a request
for the lifeboat to be launched.
They then take charge of the operation in the
boathouse during any emergency.
Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks said:
”The DLAs tend to be senior members of the team operating on a duty rota,
and shore crew should be aged between 18 and 40 with good fitness levels
and living and working in Lyme Regis or close by. Training can take up to
two years for those who want to be sea-going crew members.
“Everyone is a volunteer and training and
other events can account for around 12 hours a month.
“Full training is given to all new recruits,
and there is a genuine team spirit and plenty of social activities in
addition to the serious business of saving lives at sea.”
Anyone interested in joining the crew should
call 01297 442230 and leave a message or come along to the next training
session at the lifeboat station at the harbour from 9a.m. on Sunday
October 15th.
2 October
2017
Petrina
plans a fun fish supper to support the lifeboats
Former chef and lifeboat supporter Petrina
Muscroft is opening her Lyme Regis holiday home to stage a special fish
supper in aid of the RNLI.
On the menu: lifejacket potatoes, crew cut
chips and fresh haliboat.
“No, that’s the joke menu,” said Petrina, “but
there will be fish curry and rice, salmon salad and vegetarian pasta.”
Petrina’s supper is from 4pm to 8pm on
Saturday October 14th and is part of the RNLI’s annual
fundraising event with volunteers hosting meals countrywide. Suppers
will be served on the hour at Perina’s chalet called Ammonite, No 6,
Bowling Green, and is reached by walking through the bowling green after
parking in one of the two Monmouth beach car parks. “I hope it will be a
fun evening, “ said Petrina “and we aim to have a raffle and a quiz as
well.”
A minimum donation of £5 provides a meal and
diners are asked to bring their own drink.
Call Petrina on 07967 145035 to book a table in advance
27th
September
2017
Lyme Regis lifeboat rescues 5
teenagers
Lyme Regis
lifeboat launched in early hours to rescue 5 teenagers from stricken
yacht.
Lyme Regis
lifeboat was requested to launch to assist a 35' sailing yacht that had
broken free from its mooring off Lyme harbour at 2.45am this morning
(Wed). The sailing boat had drifted towards the shore and ran aground on
the beach near Lucy's Ledge in Lyme Regis. There were seven people on
board including five teenagers.
The lifeboat
launched and was alongside the casualty vessel 15 minutes after the
Coastguard requested the launch. The five teenagers were rescued off the
casualty boat and taken to the lifeboat station, all were safe and well
with no injuries.
The volunteer
crew of the lifeboat then returned to the casualty vessel and managed to
tow the boat away from the beach back to a mooring.
The boat was a
Tradewind 35 sailing yacht called TS Vigilant, part of the Sea Cadets
fleet. The boat and crew were on route from Plymouth to Poole, stopping at
Lyme Regis for the night. The five Sea Cadets were from the London and
Birmingham areas.
Helm Tim
Edwards said "I was pleased we were able to get the teenagers to safety of
the lifeboat station and then recover the casualty vessel from trouble.
The lifeboat crew performed really well and the all the training we do was
put to good use!"
18th September
2017
Lifeboat crew awards for volunteer service
Members of
the RNLI crew in Lyme Regis and their families and friends got together at
the town’s Powerboat Club (last Saturday) for the traditional end of
season party and for presentations to former volunteers.
Ritchie Durrant
received an award for seven years service as a member of the crew. He is
the nephew of former crew member Dave Street and current helm Brian Street
Ritchie completed part of his Duke of Edinburgh's award with the lifeboat
at the age of 14 before signing up as volunteer crew at 17.. He said: “It
is the best thing I have ever done and I miss it tremendously. You learn
so much from the other members of the crew and there is something about
the respect you gain for the sea”
Local builder
Dave Street received his award for 24 years service, 14 of which were as
helm. During his service with Lyme Regis RNLI the lifeboat rescued 74
people..
Outgoing Lifeboat Management Group Chairman John Dover
received an award for nearly nine years service, first as lifeboat
treasurer, then Deputy Launching Authority and finally chairman of the LMG.
A letter from the RNLI’s Operations Director George Rawlinson, referred to
Mr Dover’s ‘time, commitment and sheer hard work.’
8th September
2017
Lyme Regis lifeboat
launched to motor boat reported to be spinning in circles near Seaton,
Devon.
Lyme Regis RNLI volunteer crew
launched last night (Thurs) just after 7pm to assist following reports of
a boat spinning in circles with two people on board. The Atlantic 85
lifeboat was at sea only minutes after pagers alerted the crew and were on
scene at the entrance to Axmouth harbour about 20 minutes later. The
lifeboat crew entered the harbour to discover that the 30 foot motor
cruiser with three people on board were safe and well. They were preparing
their boat for mooring by getting ready the fenders which caused the
vessel to spin.
Lyme Regis helm Mark Colley said “It
was good to see that the boat and people on board were well equipped and
that everyone was safe and well. The coastguard were alerted by a
concerned bystander and it is better to be safe than sorry.”
7 September 2017
Lifeboat Week raises
£30,000 for life-saving charity
Lifeboat week in Lyme Regis this year raised
£30,000 for the RNLI charity, the organisers have announced.
Treasurer Brian Cursley revealed the figure at
last night’s (Weds) meeting of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild.
It was the first meeting of the organising
committee since the week’s events, and Mr.Cursley said:”The total raised
simply underlines a very successful week.”
The top five donation-earning events were the
water or wine stall, the glossy programme of the week’s events, the lucky
dip, breakfast baps, and the duck race.
Guild chairman Irene Roper said:”It’s an
astonishing result to raise £30,000 this year despite the rain.
“Once again, it demonstrates the generosity of
visitors and residents alike, local traders and, of course, the hard work
of all our volunteers.
“Our local media also played an important role
in publicising the week extensively.
“The money raised is a significant
contribution to the life-saving work of our RNLI volunteers.”
2 Sept 2017
Lifeboat book signing
The author of the new book telling the story
of lifeboats and lifeboat people, who have served Lyme Regis since 1826
will be signing copies this weekend.
Retired journalist Richard Horobin, the RNLI’s
volunteer press officer in Lyme Regis, will sign books at the lifeboat
shop on the Cobb from 10.30am on Sunday Sept 10th.
The book is the latest in a series published
by the RNLI charity and was launched at the start of the recent Lyme Regis
lifeboat week. All proceeds from the sale of the book, priced £8.95 go to
the RNLI.
1 Sept 2017
Lifesaver Andy swaps
the Thames for Lyme Bay
The latest recruit to join the
volunteers who crew Lyme Regis’ lifeboat is swapping the River Thames for
Lyme Bay.
Andy Butterfield, 42,, joined the
RNLI at Teddington on the Thames 13 years ago and has just moved to Uplyme
with his wife Jacqui and children Harry,7,and Alexandra, 11.
“It’s a massive difference operating
on the Thames to going to sea, so there’s plenty of learning to be done,”
said Andy.
“The decision to move was made on a
work/life balance, and we felt we wanted to enjoy the countryside and the
coast as much as possible,”
Andy was a crew member for six years,
and at the helm of the D-class lifeboats on the Thames for a further seven
years.
“The Thames involved much first-aid
work, and assisting the police and other emergency services, and many of
our calls for help were at night.”
Despite his years on the Thames Andy,
who works in I.T. as a customer experience specialist, is a trainee crew
member at the lifeboat station on the Cobb illustrating the huge
differences between the two locations..
“Like many of my volunteer colleagues
I joined the RNLI because I wanted to help those in trouble, but also, of
course, there is a great sense of camaraderie,” said Andy.
29 August 2017
Sea anglers donate
another £1,000 to RNLI
Members of Seaton Sea Anglers Club
have presented the crew of the Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat with yet another
£1,000 donation.
Over a number of years it’s estimated
that the club has raised in the region of £12,000 for the life-saving
charity.
The latest donation was presented to
lifeboat crew member Tom Crabbe at the August barbecue held at Axe Yacht
Club.
More than 150 members of the angling
and yacht clubs enjoyed the barbecue. This year’s donation was raised at
last year’s barbecue. And this year’s event raised another £1,070.
The RNLI’s Lifeboat Operations
Manager in Lyme Regis, Nick Marks, said: “The fundraising efforts of the
angling club and their generosity is just amazing. We are very grateful.”
12 August 2017
Helicopter Picture
The pilot of the helicopter that
thrilled crowds with a surprise fly-past during Lifeboat Week in Lyme
Regis was today presented with a souvenir photograph of the event.
Lt. Cdr Tom Burrows,32, received the
framed memento from the chairman of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI
Guild Irene Roper.
Cdr. Burrows , Operations Officer
with 845 Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton, flew the Merlin
helicopter with crew members Lt. Ollie Everett and Sgt Mike Lewis.
6 August 2017
Two ‘shouts’ for Lyme
Regis lifeboat crew
Volunteers who crew the RNLI lifeboat
in Lyme Regis answered two calls for help yesterday (Sat).
The first was to a small inflatable
dinghy with one man aboard reported to be drifting out to sea near Eype
holiday park.
The lifeboat crew, who launched at
6.56pm, found the man was safe and in control of the dinghy and were stood
down by coastguards at 7.20p.m.
Just over three hours later the
inshore lifeboat was launched again following reports of a fishing boat
taking in water and sinking seven miles south of West Bay. Weymouth all
weather lifeboat was also on scene along with the coastguard helicopter.
The fishing boat, with two men on board,, was stabilised and towed to
Weymouth harbour
The Lyme Regis lifeboat crew, who had
launched at 10.19pm., were stood down at 11pm and returned to the lifeboat
station at 11.30pm
30
July 2017
Lifeboat Week beats
the weather with hope of £20,000
Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis came to a soggy
end in heavy showers yesterday (Sat), but organisers are confident of a
significant boost for RNLI funds.
The Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild, whose
members plan the week, believe donations to the life-saving charity will
be in the region of £20,000.
Only two events – the cricket match and the
Friday night fireworks display – had to be called off because of the
weather.
Irene Roper, who is retiring as chairman of
the guild after five years, said: ’Visitors, residents and traders
have been very generous as usual. It has been a great team effort. But
there have also been some superb individual achievements.
‘One classic example is 13 year old Josh
Denning, who raised no less than £473 with his collection bucket and help
from his family.’
The week ended with a performance by the
shanty singers, Harbour Voices of Lyme Regis.
There were two surprises to come as the week
officially concluded.. Irene Roper was treated to a celebration
get-together with other volunteers to mark her retirement as chairman.
And Emma Hughes, from Whitchurch Canonicorum,
joined the celebration to hand over a cheque donation for £420 raised at
her recent 40th birthday party.
She said: ’I wanted to raise money for the
RNLI as an active member of Bridport Gig Club and my dad is a keen
fisherman with a boat at West Bay.
‘I asked all my guests not to bring a birthday
present but to make a donation to the RNLI.’
27 July 2017
Sylvia gets a
lifeboat week surprise
Supporters of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth
RNLI Guild – organisers of the town’s Lifeboat Week –sprang a presentation
surprise on a retiring member today (Thurs).
Sylvia Marler was a member of the guild’s
committee for 18 years and has just retired.
A tea party and presentation was held at the
lifeboat station in Sylvia’s honour. Sylvia received an award for
excellence in volunteering and a letter praising her efforts from Leesa
Harwood, the RNLI’s Director of Community Lifesaving and Fundraising. The
presentation was made by the guild’s chairman Irene Roper.
25 July 2017
Family of four and
dog rescued as yacht sinks
A family of four and their labrador dog were
rescued this evening (Tuesday) by the volunteer crew of Lyme Regis
lifeboat after their yacht was swamped by waves and sank at Charton Bay,
west of Lyme.
The yacht was being sailed from Lyme Regis by
Joe Coles,56,from East Coker, Yeovil. Also on board were his wife Tania,
sons Theo,9, Hector,19, and their 14 month old Labrador Suki.
Mr Coles said: ”We had been having a picnic
and were close to shore. Suki would not get on the boat. We got out of
the boat to get the dog and two big waves hit the yacht and pretty much
sank it.
“We were all safely ashore but wet and cold,
and very pleased when we saw the lifeboat. The whole thing was Suki’s
fault, really.”
The family had left Lyme in the 18 foot
vessel, called Llewellyn, just as the Red Devils were giving their display
as part of Lifeboat Week.
The lifeboat crew brought the family back to
the safety of Lyme Regis. Later it was decided it was too unsafe to tow
the stricken yacht back to Lyme Regis. The lifeboat crew secured the yacht
by anchor a quarter of a mile off Pinhay Bay. This was the 13th
shout for the Lyme Regis crew so far this year.
The lifeboat had launched from the slipway at
6.50p.m.just as the Lifeboat Week charity auction was under way in the
boathouse.
But later the water polo match between the
lifeboat crew and the lifeguards was affected by a shortage of players. A
depleted lifeboat crew team lost by a large margin, according to players.
25 July 2017
Lifeboat week off to
a flying start
Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis got off to a
flying despite heavy showers on the first two days.
Irene Roper, chairman of the organisers, the
Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild, said: ”The weather, to start with,
was not brilliant, but we have had great support.”
Irene, who is retiring as chairman after five
years, once Lifeboat Week is over, added: ”Visitors and residents, in fact
the whole town, have been incredibly good to us and all indications are
that we will raise a substantial sum for our life-saving charity.”
The fire and rescue demonstration last night
(Monday) was preceded by the presentation of a 20 year long service and
good conduct medal to Lyme Regis fire chief Virgil Turner
The demonstration, watched by a large crowd,
involved a scenario in which an explosion had occurred filling the
lifeboat station with smoke. Firefighters from Lyme Regis and Charmouth
then ‘rescued’ three ‘casualties.’
24th July
85 competitors took part
in the fun run. winner holidaymaker Ross Jones, 37, completed
the the 3k run in7mins 16secs. The lifeboat crew lost the tug of
war across the harbour entrance by two pulls to one. They were beaten by a
combined team from Lyme Regis Sailing Club and the town's football club.
23 July 2017
A soggy start for
lifeboat week
Heavy showers and squally conditions
got Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week off to a soggy start yesterday (Sat).
But the first day’s programme was not
affected and started with the launch of a new book on the history of a
voluntary lifeboat service in the town from 1826 to the present day.
Among the many guests at the launch
were Philip and Lisa Burgess who were rescued after the helicopter Philip
was flying plunged into Lyme Bay in dense fog on Easter Monday 1999. Lisa
was expecting their daughter Charley-Nicole at the time, and she was also
at the book launch.
Dorset-based impressionist and
actress Debra Stephenson officially started Lifeboat Week, holding an
umbrella in the rain on Marine Parade, and the Eastern Promise belly
dancers braved the showers to entertain a large crowd.
The RNLI crew of Lyme Regis lifeboat
staged their traditional welcome display along with the coastguard
helicopter and the day ended in relatively calm weather with the bathtub
race.
Eight bathtub crews took part, and
after winning the event six years running the Dorset firefighters were
forced into second place by a young team representing Lyme Regis Sailing
Club and Lyme Rib Rides. They established a big lead to win in their
‘vessel’ named Cat-Astropphe.
Despite fitting a two stroke engine
to their bathtub –strictly against the rues-the six men aboard the
lifeboat station’s entry almost sank and had to give up.
21 July 2017
Gym boss boosts
lifeboat fund with a dance
A dance at Uplyme Village Hall organised by
the owner of a gym and his wife has resulted in a bumper cheque for the
RNLI in Lyme Regis.
Craig Bernhardt and his wife Sarah staged the
dance to raise donations for the lifeboat charity and the Macmillan Cancer
Trust.
The RNLI received £1,174 and the cancer
charity a similar sum.
Craig, who opened the gym, B! Health and
Fitness, two years ago said: ”It is not until you live or work in a town
on the coast like Lyme Regis that you realise just how important the RNLI
is”
16th July
2017
Four rescued by
Lyme Regis RNLI crew as powerboat 'drifts towards rocks'
Four
people, including an 11 month old boy, were rescued by the volunteer crew
of Lyme Regis lifeboat last night (Saturday) when their 32 foot powerboat
broke down and was reported to be drifting towards rocks
The
powerboat had suffered power failure off Beer Head. The lifeboat was
launched at 6.27pm just 6 minutes after the crew's pagers alerted them to
a mayday call to coastguards from the stricken vessel. The lifeboat crew
reached the powerboat 20 minutes after launching and took it in tow.
On board
were Tom Montgomery-Swan, 29, from Exeter, his wife Aisha, baby Edward,
crew member Nick Dodge from Seaton and the family's pet dog Winston, a
German pointer.
Tom said
"The lifeboat crew arrived incredibly quickly and we were delighted to see
them. We were 400 metres off Beer Head when our power failed and there was
a danger that we might have drifted towards the rocks."
The
life boat towed the powerboat, with its four 'crew' to the safety of Lyme
Regis harbour, arriving at 8pm. None of those aboard the powerboat needed
medical attention.
14
July 2017
Lifeboat shop
volunteers celebrate a new look
Volunteers who run the RNLI’s harbour-side
shop in Lyme Regis today celebrated the completion of a total
refurbishment of the charity’s outlet just in time for Lifeboat Week which
starts on July 22nd.
The shop was chosen for a make-over because
it regularly appears in the top five of all the lifeboat shops throughout
the country.
Irene Roper, chairman of the Lyme Regis and
Charmouth RNLI Guild, cut the ribbon to mark the re-opening of the new
look shop.
Emma Ludford, Retail Development Manager for
the RNLI’s south region, said:”Lyme Regis was chosen as a flagship store
because it is one of the most successful in the country.
“The RNLI’s faith in the shop is a tribute to
the hard work of all the volunteers who run it.”
Volunteer manager of the store Krys Lavery
said:”We are thrilled with the way the shop now looks, and delighted that
the RNLI chose us for this major re-design.”
July 2017
Survivors will be
guests at RNLI Lyme Regis lifeboat book launch
A couple who were rescued after their
helicopter plunged into Lyme Bay and a woman in her seventies seriously
injured on rocks near Charmouth will return to Lyme Regis for the launch
of a book which includes their remarkable stories.
Also among guests at the launch at
the town’s lifeboat station will be the parents of a severely disabled
young woman who died when her wheelchair fell into the harbour.
The book is part of a history project
by the RNLI charity and tells the story of almost 160 years of a lifeboat
service in Lyme Regis.
Author Richard Horobin, the lifeboat
station’s volunteer press officer, said: “We are delighted that some
people featured in the book will be coming back to meet their rescuers
again, including lifeboat crew, coastguards and fishermen.”
Philip and Lisa Burgess were rescued
after the helicopter Philip was flying crashed in dense fog on Easter
Monday 1999. Lisa was pregnant at the time, although her rescuers did not
know, and her daughter Charley-Nicole will be paying her first visit to
Lyme Regis.
Mariola Constandinou, from the
Midlands, was 71 when she slipped on rocks and was seriously injured near
Charmouth in May two years ago and is looking forward to meeting her
rescuers again. Mark and Paula Perkins, whose daughter Claire died when
her electric wheelchair fell into the harbour will once again be visiting
Lyme Regis to help with Lifeboat Week events and will also be at the book
launch.
Also at the book launch will be John
Bradley, the great great grandson of Thomas Bradley a coxswain of the
pulling and sailing lifeboats for 30 years, who joined the crew in 1851.
Dorset-based actress, impressionist
and comedian Debra Stephenson will be opening Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week at
12.30pm on July 22nd and will also be at the book launch. She
co-starred in the BBC,s The Impressions Show with Culshaw and Stephenson
and currently stars in Radio 4’s Dead Ringers.
Richard will be on Marine Parade during the
afternoon to sign copies of the new book.
24
June 2017
Lifeboat launched to
‘youngsters in trouble’
The volunteer
crew of Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat and local coastguards were alerted today
(Sat) after reports that youngsters using an inflatable rubber ring
were in difficulty in the water near the town’s harbour.
The lifeboat was
launched at the request of Solent coastguards who reported that two girls
were in difficulty in the Broad Ledge area east of the harbour. It later
transpired that a boy had also been in difficulties. The three
youngsters, all aged 15, made their own way ashore. The boy needed some
attention for the effects of cold water. Otherwise all three were said to
be safe and well. The lifeboat crew’s pagers sounded at 3.10pm and the
lifeboat returned to harbour at 3.45pm
19 June 2017
Two rescued in broken
down boat
Two men aboard a broken down boat
were rescued on Saturday evening (June 17th) by the volunteer
crew of Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat.
The boat suffered engine failure two
miles south of West Bexington. The lifeboat towed the 6metre vessel and
its crew to the safety of West Bay harbour.
The lifeboat launched at 8.45pm and
returned to Lyme Regis harbour at 10pm.
Lifeboat
volunteers – their dramatic life and times in a new book
The life and
times of Lyme Regis lifeboat men and women – and the lifeboats themselves
– are captured in a new book from the RNLI and due to be launched on 22
July, the first day of this year’s Lifeboat Week.
Written by the lifeboat station’s
volunteer press officer, retired newspaper and BBC journalist Richard
Horobin, the fully illustrated book is part of the charity’s history
book project.
It tells how a makeshift lifeboat
service started in the town in 1826, and how a Christmas tragedy led to
Lyme Regis getting a ‘proper’ lifeboat, powered by sails and oars, 27
years later.
With much help from local historians
and lifeboat supporters, the author has brought to life a fascinating
collection of stories about dedicated volunteers who ran a lifeboat
service in the town, despite all the odds, over a period of nearly 160
years. How they would row the lifeboat for hours to reach a stricken
vessel….no twin 115hp engines such as power today’s lifeboat.
There is the crew member who was
shipwrecked eight times as a mariner; the coxswain who served the lifeboat
for 34 years and was famed for his strength, picking up a man with one arm
and placing him on a table. He also salvaged a huge barrel of alcohol from
a shipwreck and carried it single handed up a cliff !
The story of an MP who vanished
without trace over Lyme Bay after being trapped in a hot air balloon makes
incredible reading. The dramatic episode when a ship was torpedoed by a
German submarine a short distance from Lyme Regis harbour, and yet had an
amusing twist amid the tragedy and chaos.
And in more recent times the amazing
survival of a couple whose helicopter crashed into Lyme Bay in dense fog;
the tragic tale of the severely disabled woman whose wheelchair fell into
Lyme Regis harbour and the desperate attempts made to save her.
There are the lighter moments, too,
such as the crew Christmas dinner when the annual awards are
presented…including the Bent Propeller trophy !
The story of Lifeboat Week, from the
early 70s, includes the ditching of a Navy helicopter in the sea, which
wasn’t part of the event, although the hundreds who witnessed it thought
it was.
The new book will be available from
the lifeboat shop on the Cobb and other outlets in the town, from 22 July
price £8.95 with all proceeds going to the RNLI, the charity that saves
lives at sea.
20 May 2017
Debra Stephenson to
launch lifeboat week
Dorset-based actress, comedian and
impressionist Debra Stephenson will officially declare open this year’s
Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week on 22 July.
As an impressionist Debra is,
perhaps, best known for her co-starring role in BBC One’s The Impressions
Show with Culshaw and Stephenson. As an actress Debra, from Poole,
played Shell Dockley in Bad Girls, the feisty Frankie Baldwin in
Coronation Street and Diane Powell in Playing the Field.
She also plays major parts in BBC
Radio 4’s Dead Ringers and ITV’s Newzoids
Debra, who owns a speedboat with her
husband James, said they were looking forward to coming to Lyme Regis,
and plan to make it a family day out with children Max,14, and Zoe, 10.
Debra added: “My husband enjoys our small boat for fishing, and so far we
have not had to call out the RNLI. But it’s very comforting to know the
volunteer crews are there if we need them.”
Debra will launch Lifeboat Week at
12.30pm on 22 July on Marine Parade.
On July 28th Debra will be
performing her Night of 100 Voices show as part of her current tour at the
Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne.
25 May 2017
Dive Boat Towed
Lyme Regis
RNLI lifeboat was launched this evening to assist a broken down dive boat
with 13 people aboard two miles south of West Bay.
21 May 2017
Boats are blessed in the sunshine at Lyme
Regis
Dozens
lined the slipway in the sunshine at the RNLI lifeboat station in Lyme
Regis today to join the annual Blessing of the Boats service.
The
inter-denominational service, hosted by local clergy the Rev. Chris
Woodman and the Rev. Keith Vivian, acknowledges and blesses those who go
to sea professionally, or for fun, and remembers those who have lost their
lives to the waves.
Representatives of the town’s gig, sailing, and powerboat clubs took an
active part in the service along with the volunteer lifeboat crew.
A poem
written and read to the congregation by 11 year old Millie-Jade Ellis,
daughter of recent lifeboat recruit Mark Ellis, drew appreciative
applause.
Woodroffe School pupil Millie called her poem ‘What the Sea Means to Me.
She wrote: ‘The sea feeds me and excites me. It can take me to new
countries aboard a ship. Sailing away on a really long trip. The sea is
fun but sometimes rough. This is when I need to be careful and not act
tough. If I am ever in trouble. Call the lifeboat at the double. So do not
be afraid just be safe at sea. That is what the sea means to me.’
The
service ended with the local club members and the Royal British Legion
presenting wraths to the lifeboat crew who then took the wreaths aboard
the lifeboat to be laid at sea.
18
May 2017
Dory rescue
Two people
aboard a small dory class boat were rescued today by the crew of the Lyme
Regis RNLI lifeboat after their vessel suffered engine failure.
They were two miles south of
West Bexington when the problem arose and the lifeboat crew towed the dory
to the safety of West Bay harbour.
14
May 2017
Lifeboat launched to ‘drifting yacht’
Emergency calls
to coastguards turned out to be false alarms with good intent when the
crew of Lyme Regis RNLI launched the lifeboat this evening (Sun).
A 20 ft yacht
with two people aboard was reported to be drifting towards rocks near the
mouth of the River Axe.
When the
lifeboat crew arrived on scene it was clear that the yacht, with two
people aboard, was not in difficulty.
The lifeboat
was launched at 6.57pm and returned to harbour at 7.35pm.
12 May 2017
How a yellow welly and a penny farthing set
out to boost lifeboat charity
A lifeboat crew
member on a penny farthing bicycle, a vintage Jaguar, the RNLI’s mascot
Stormy Stan and more than a hundred schoolchildren all took part in the
Lyme Regis stage of the marathon journey of a yellow welly yesterday
(Fri).
The illuminated
welly is being relayed all along the south-west coast as part of the
RNLI’s Mayday fundraising campaign during which the charity hopes to raise
£750,000 towards the cost of the kit lifeboat crews have to wear.
Members of the
Sidmouth branch of the RNLI brought the welly to Lyme in a 1967 S-type
Jaguar. It was delivered to pupils at St. Michael’s School, Lyme Regis,
and they handed it over to lifeboat crew member Seb Cope who arrived at
the school on his penny farthing bike with the RNLI mascot Stormy Stan.
Seb and Stan
then took the welly to Lyme Regis lifeboat station.
Today (Sat) the
welly was taken by the Lyme Regis lifeboat crew to Portland Bill where it
was handed over to the three-masted tallship TS Pelican and later
collected by RNLI volunteers from Weymouth to continue its journey.
12
May 2017
All invited to
Blessing of the Boats
The annual Blessing of the Boats
service will be held at the RNLI lifeboat station in Lyme Regis on Sunday
21st May.
The open air, inter-denominational
service, starting at 3pm, will be led by Baptist Minister the Rev. Chris
Woodman with the Rev Keith Vivian, and visitors and residents are invited
to take part.
The service is held every year on
Rogation Sunday to remember those who have given their lives at sea.
This year the service will be
supported by the town’s gig, sailing and powerboat clubs. At the end of
the service three floral wreaths and a poppy wreath from the British
Legion will be taken aboard the RNLI lifeboat and laid at sea.
8 May 2017
Yellow welly fund
raiser to get a lift on a penny farthing
A yellow welly will be driven to Lyme
Regis in a vintage car on Friday (May 12), delivered to children at a
local school and then taken by penny farthing bicycle to the lifeboat
station.
It’s all part of the RNLI’s Mayday
fundraising campaign during which the charity is hoping to raise £750,000
towards the kit lifeboat crews have to wear such as lifejackets,
helmets…and yellow wellies.
The yellow welly coming to Lyme
started out at Portsihead in Somerset and has called at lifeboat stations
around the south west with RNLI volunteers organising their own forms of
transport for the iconic footwear,
It will arrive by vintage vehicle
with members of the Sidmouth RNLI Guild. They will hand it to children at
St Michael’s School and the children will then give it to lifeboat crew
member Seb Cope, who rides a penny farthing bicycle in his spare time. Seb
will then take the welly to the lifeboat station accompanied by the RNLI
mascot, Stormy Stan.
The following day the welly will be
taken aboard the Lyme Regis lifeboat before making its way to Weymouth.
Adrian Ragbourne, volunteer Deputy
Launching Authority with the RNLI in Lyme Regis, said:”We were determined
to play our part in the welly relay, and we thought it would be bit of fun
to involve the children, and, of course our penny farthing cycling crew
member !” THE YELLOW WELLY IS DUE TO ARRIVE AT ST. MICHAEL’S SCHOOL
AT 2.30PM ON FRIDAY.
07
May 2017
Lone sailor drifting
in sailboat rescued by RNLI crew
A lone sailor
whose sailing boat was drifting near Charmouth was rescued by the
volunteer crew of Lyme Regis RNLI yesterday (Sun).
The lifeboat was
launched after reports that the ‘clinker’ style wooden boat had problems
with its mast and outboard engine and was drifting in the Black Ven area
east of Lyme Regis.
The lifeboat
crew towed the broken down vessel to the safety of Lyme Regis harbour.
RNLI volunteers
had been paged at 4.14pm and the lifeboat, Spirit of Loch Fyne, was
launched six minutes later. This was the fifth emergency call for the
lifeboat crew so far this year.
23 April 2017
Rescue helicopter
exercises with lifeboat crew and coastguards
The coastguard helicopter
crew taking over search and rescue duties from the team based at Portland
dropped in to Lyme Regis today (SUN) to meet the volunteers of the RNLI
and the land-based coastguards.
Coastguard helicopter 175
based at Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire, and its crew of four landed on
Woodroffe School’s playing field to give the lifeboat and coastguard
teams a chance to familiarise themselves with the new aircraft, and to
exercise winching into and out of the Augusta 189 eight seater.
Coastguards and the
lifeboat crew were shown all over the helicopter by the aircraft’s captain
Simon Cree, co-pilot Will Warboys, winch operator Ritchie Waterton and
winchman Rob Sanches.
Capt. Cree, a former
Seaking pilot with the RAF, said the £26m coastguard helicopter’s
endurance is three and a half hours with a top speed of 130/135 knots.
He added: ”The visit to
Lyme Regis is all about hearts and minds and learning how best we can work
together in the future.”
John Broome, volunteer
training co-ordinator at Lyme Regis lifeboat station said: ”This exercise
was invaluable. We have had a thorough explanation of the capabilities of
the new helicopter by its crew. We have already exercised with this
helicopter at sea, but to get to close quarters with the aircraft and its
crew on land is just a very useful bonus and prepares us for any future
incidents when we will need to work together as a team.”
9 April 2017
‘Three and a dog
cut off by tide’
Three people and a dog were reported to be cut
off by the tide when the Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched today
(Sun).
The volunteer lifeboat crew launched at 12
20pm and returned 20 minutes later after the people and their
dog made their own way to safety from rocks on Broad Ledge east of the
harbour.
6 April 2017
Fund-raisers boost
RNLI charity by £65,000
Volunteer fund-raisers in Lyme Regis and
Charmouth boosted the RNLI’s income by more than £65,000 last year.
Members of the local fund-raising arm of the
RNLI – the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild - received the news at
their annual meeting last night (Weds) when treasurer Brian Cursley
delivered his report.
The total included a variety of events and
donations as well as £27,000 raised during lifeboat week.
Chairman Irene Roper said it had been a record
breaking year and she had been heartened by the many messages of
congratulations received from the public during and after lifeboat week.
Volunteer manager of the lifeboat shop, Krys
Lavery, said the outlet had taken £122,000 and was the sixth best
performing shop in the UK.
In his annual report to guild members,
Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks said volunteer crew members had
answered 27 calls for help last year and were credited with saving three
lives.
He said there now appeared to be a familiar
pattern of emergencies – almost half of calls for help were from people
getting into difficulty ashore when out walking and cut off by the tide or
falling on rocks. The other half were incidents involving boating,
fishing and surfing.
Guest speaker was Nigel Jones, the RNLI’s Area
Lifesaving Manager, who told guild members about many changes throughout
the organisation’s structure and the aim to reduce drownings around the
coast.
Volunteer press officer Richard Horobin gave
members a brief preview of his book on the history of lifeboats and
lifeboat people in Lyme Regis.The book is due to be published in time for
this year’s lifeboat week which starts on July 22nd.
5 April 2017
Town’s lifeboat
returns after three month refit
Lyme
Regis’ RNLI lifeboat, Spirit of Loch Fyne, returned to the town yesterday
(Tues) after a major, three month refit in Poole and at the charity’s
inshore lifeboat centre on the Isle of Wight.
The four year old boat was met by volunteer
crew as it arrived by road on a trailer after its upgrade.
Lifeboat helm Elliott Herbert took the boat to
sea for a test run, and said: ”We are very impressed with the refit which
includes state of the art navigation equipment, directional finder and an
automatic information system.”
Mark Gage,the lifeboat’s mechanic added:”The
vessel performed beautifully during the sea test. She has been fitted with
new steering and the engines are running very well. It’s a pleasure to
have her back in such superb condition.”
The relief boat, Douglas Murray, was returned
to Poole once Spirit of Loch Fyne had completed the sea test..
3 April 2017
Four lifeboats in
search exercise
Four volunteer lifeboat crews – one each from
the RNLI stations at Lyme Regis and Exmouth and two from the independent
Sidmouth station – took part in an exercise lasting some three hours
yesterday (Sun).
The operation, officially known as a Multi
Vessel Search Exercise, took place off Sidmouth and included towing and
search patterns.
Brian Street, helm of the Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat : “This was a large and important exercise for everyone involved
and I know we all found it a valuable experience.”
27 March 2017
Lifeboat crew
exercise with new search and rescue helicopter
Volunteer crew members of the RNLI lifeboat in
Lyme Regis have taken part in their first exercise with the helicopter
team assuming the search and rescue role in the next few weeks.
The helicopter crew, from Lee–on–the–Solent,
Hampshire, are due to take over from those based at Portland.
Two lifeboat crews took part in the exercise
during their regular training evening last week.
Helm Jon Broome, who is also the lifeboat’s
training co-ordinator, said:” The exercise was very worthwhile.
“I spoke to the helicopter captain afterwards
and he said he was very impressed with the skill and competency of the
lifeboat crew, and explained that was why he was felt happy to lower a
winchman to our boat during the exercise.”
20 March 2017
Coastal Review team
visits Lyme Regis RNLI
Top officials of the RNLI today (Monday March
20) met volunteers who run the Lyme Regis lifeboat station as part of the
charity’s ‘Coastal Review.’
A delegation led by Vice Admiral Sir Tim
Laurence spent two hours discussing the running of the lifeboat station
and hearing the views of management, crew members and fund-raisers as
well as their hopes for the future.
Sir Tim, who is chairman of the RNLI’s
Operations Committee, explained that he and his colleagues visit four
sections of the organisation each year during the Coastal Review.
He said a key focus was the gap between
Exmouth and Weymouth, and that the charity’s target of community
lifesaving had two strands…to make sure all volunteers were closely linked
with the lifeboat and crew, and education and prevention to make the coast
even safer.
Sir Tim said the RNLI saved 350 lives a year,
but between 150 and 180 died around the coast each year.
After discussing ideas for improvements to the
Lyme Regis station and its equipment, Sir Tim praised the fundraisers –
the local RNLI Guild and the lifeboat shop team – as ‘star performers.’
Nick Marks, volunteer Lifeboat Operations
Manager, said: ”The Coastal Review was a great opportunity for us to
explain how we work as a part of the community and with the coastguards
and lifeguards and to make our recommendations for improvements to our
operation.
“The delegation now take our comments back to
headquarters in Poole for thorough consideration.”
13
March 2017
Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat station gets a makeover
The RNLI’s lifeboat
station in Lyme Regis is undergoing a makeover to make it a more
interesting attraction for visitors.
Facts and figures, photos of the crew and
historic detail are all part of the project led by the RNLI’s Visitor
Experience Manager Amanda Woods
with input from Lifeboat Operations
Manager Nick Marks and volunteer press officer Richard Horobin.
Part of the exterior of the lifeboat
station has been re-decorated in ‘RNLI blue’ with new identity boards,
including invitations to visit the boathouse. Inside, visitors will find
plenty of detail about the role of the life-saving charity and models of
historic boats.
Amanda Woods said: ’The RNLI values
its supporters and appreciates that they are interested in the work of
its volunteers. Lyme Regis welcomes many thousands of visitors every
year, so we wanted to improve our presence in the town by making a visit
to the lifeboat station a more rewarding experience.’
Volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager
Nick Marks said: “The timing of these improvements to the overall look of
our lifeboat station could not be better with summer and, of course,
Lifeboat Week not far away.”
12 March 2017
Lone sailor rescued by Lyme Regis lifeboat crew
The
owner of a classic 22ft wooden yacht was rescued by the crew of the Lyme
Regis RNLI lifeboat yesterday (Sat).
The
lone sailor, from Bridport, was reported to have ‘encountered navigational
difficulties’ two miles west of Lyme Regis during a trip from Exmouth to
West Bay.
The
lifeboat volunteers, who launched at 3.24pm, towed the yacht to the safety
of Lyme Regis harbour, arriving an hour later.
6 March 2017
The Paras
freefall team will drop in on Lyme Regis RNLI Lifeboat Week
The Red Devils – the
British Army’s official parachute display team – have confirmed they will
be a star attraction at this year’s Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week.
The week starts on July
22 and the Red Devils will be performing during the afternoon of Tuesday
July 25 . The time will be confirmed later.
The Red Devils, based at
Netheravon Airfield on Salisbury Plain, are a team of 15, all of whom have
seen active service in the Falklands, Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Sierra
Leone, Afghanistan or Iraq.
They are widely
acknowledged as among the best display parachutists in the world, and
every year carry out spectacular shows at public events worldwide
promoting the British Army and the Parachute Regiment, known as ‘The Paras’.
A classic Red Devils
display will see up to ten team members jumping from an altitude of
10,000ft. Trailing smoke to demonstrate their speed and movement, the
highly skilled skydivers will freefall at speeds up to 120mph before
opening their parachutes. Then they will demonstrate breathtaking
high-speed ‘swoop’ landings and spectacular ‘canopy formations’, both
unique to parachute displays in the UK.
A commentary will keep
everyone informed throughout the event, and the skydivers will be
available afterwards to meet spectators.
Irene Roper, chairman of
the organisers of Lifeboat Week, the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild,
said: ”We are absolutely delighted that the Red Devils are coming to
support our charity. They will be a big attraction in the middle of our
fund-raising week.”
21st February
TV presenter
Jeremy Kyle popped into Lyme Regis lifeboat station
during Sunday morning's training session and met the RNLI
crew. He said he was very impressed with the RNLI volunteers
and that his mother used to be a volunteer in the lifeboat
shop on the Cobb.. He said he liked Lyme very much and
that he had his first birthday in the town some 50 years ago
and has been visiting the resort ever since.
20 February 2017
Lifeboat launched in search for
‘vulnerable’ woman
Lyme Regis
RNLI lifeboat was launched just after midnight today to assist coastguards
and police in a search for a woman reported as ‘vulnerable.’
The
volunteer lifeboat crew carried out a shoreline search between West Bay
and Freshwater, but there were no sightings and they returned to Lyme
Regis after nearly two hours at sea.
19 February
2017
Shop volunteers praised for dedication to
lifeboat charity
Volunteers who
run the RNLI charity shop next to the lifeboat station in Lyme Regis have
celebrated another successful year.
More than
thirty people enjoyed a buffet lunch at the Hunters Lodge, Raymonds Hill,
and heard that their shop had been placed sixth in the ‘league table’ of
hundreds of lifeboat shops around the country.
In a letter to
the volunteers, the RNLI’s Retail Operations Manager, James Thompson,
praised their ’incredible hard work, dedication and skill.’
He said the
RNLI’s shops had reached an income of £6,300.000. in 2016.The English
Channel division, of which Lyme Regis is a member, had a record breaking
income of £1,000.405.
Two
presentations for Excellence in Volunteering, were made at the Lyme Regis
lunch. Carys Lowe received a framed certificate and letter of thanks for
her 15 years as secretary of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild.
Ross Bennett
was presented with a crystal award marking his 23 years as a volunteer in
the shop and collector during Lifeboat Week. The RNLI’s letter to Mr.
Bennett mentioned how people would seek him out on Red Arrows day in
Holmbush car park to hand him a donation.
Mr. Bennett has
now decided he can no longer work in the shop on a regular basis, but will
remain on the reserve list.
17 February
2017
Store donates a Fat £600 to Lyme Regis lifeboat
Staff
at the FatFace store in Lyme Regis have donated more than £600 to the
local RNLI lifeboat charity.
The
donation was raised during Black Friday weekend in November last year.
Staff members added £40 to the £562 raised in store..Under the ‘Thanks for
Giivng’ initiatve the FatFace chain nationally donated some £200,00 to
charities from its 221 stores.
In Lyme
Regis the store chose the RNLI as its charity. Store manager Kayleigh
Billson said:” We organised a few extra competitions to help raise money
for our fantastic lifeboat station, a cause dear to everyone in Lyme and
beyond.”
17
February 2017
Ex - Army chief joins
the RNLI lifeboat crew in Lyme Regis
A retired Lieutenant
Colonel with the Royal Engineers has joined the volunteer management team
of the RNLI in Lyme Regis.
Mike McAlpine, 61, served
in many trouble spots including Kuwait, where he commanded a construction
squadron involved in the restoration of essential facilities to Kuwait
City immediately after the unsuccessful invasion by Iraq, and the ‘clean
up’ of unexploded bombs and landmines.
Mike, a chartered civil
engineer and graduate of Queen’s University, Belfast, spent 20 years in
the Royal Engineers, had two spells in the Falklands and commanded a
regiment in Northern Ireland for three years before becoming the technical
authority for UK counter landmine warfare. Mike, married to Karen
with three daughters, moved to Lyme Regis from Dalwood, near Axminster, in
2014.
His last job was with BP
in Iraq where he was involved in opening up the second largest oilfield in
the world at Rumaila, south of Basra.
Mike, a keen sailor with
his Yachtmaster ‘ticket’ has become a DLA – Deputy Launching Authority –
at Lyme Regis lifeboat station. He said: “I spent a lot of time on
the water and it was always comforting to know the RNLI was there if
necessary. Since I missed the camaraderie of the military, I thought I
would offer my voluntary services to the RNLI and I am thoroughly enjoying
it.”
A member of Lyme Regis
Golf Club, Mike chairs the Axminster Hospital Community Hub Steering Group
and was a founder member of the Axminster Patient Group.
Lifeboat Operations
Manager Nick Marks said: “We welcome Mike to the management team. His
wealth of experience will be an asset, and his arrival has added even more
strength to the Lyme Regis crew.”
15 January 2017
Lifeboat crew start the year with
awards
Members of the RNLI’s volunteer
lifeboat crew in Lyme Regis and their families and friends got the new
year off to a celebratory start with their annual awards dinner.
The event at the By the Bay
restaurant yesterday (Sat) was attended by around 70 crew members and
their guests.
Among the awards was a long service
certificate to landscape gardener Garry Gibbs, a crew member for 20 years.
Senior helm Tim Edwards was voted crew member of the year, and the much
coveted bent propeller trophy went to helm Mark Colley.
A new award, Anchor Aweigh, went to
tractor driver Richard Beviss.
Another new award, for their
conscientious ‘office’ work, went to John Cable and Mark Gage.
13 January 2017
Top surgeon joins Lyme Regis RNLI
crew
A leading cancer surgeon has joined the
volunteer crew of the RNLI lifeboat in Lyme Regis.
Mr Ken Lavery, a retired head and neck
surgeon, has joined the local RNLI team as a Deputy Launching Authority (DLA).
Mr Lavery, 67,who recently retired as lead
surgeon and Medical Director at Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead,
West Sussex, is married to Krys who manages the team of volunteers running
the successful RNLI charity shop on the Cobb. They met at the
hospital where Krys was a senior ward sister and have two sons.
Scots-born Mr Lavery is a qualified
Yachtmaster and has strong family connections with the RNLI. Both his
grandfather and great grandfather were volunteers with the lifeboat at
Campbeltown that covers the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland. Mr Lavery
said: “I am thoroughly enjoying my involvement with the lifeboat crew in
Lyme Regis. “They are clearly a dedicated team and the camaraderie
is very similar to that which I found when I was involved in rugby.”
10 January 2017
RNLI crew swap boats for a refit
The volunteer crew of the RNLI lifeboat in
Lyme Regis said a temporary farewell to their vessel yesterday (Mon) as
Spirit of Loch Fyne left the town for an upgrade of its equipment.
The four year old lifeboat was taken on a
trailer by road and will eventually have a refit at the RNLI’s Inshore
lifeboat centre on the Isle of Wight.
Lifeboat mechanic Mark Gage said: ” Our boat
is due for an upgrade of its electronics ,including communications and
navigation equipment, and will be away for about three months.”
As Spirit of Loch Fyne left, a replacement
boat, number B830 and named Douglas Murray, arrived from the RNLI’s relief
fleet.
9
January 2017
Dave is
‘dunked’ as he retires from Lyme Regis RNLI
One of the
longest-serving members of the volunteer crew of the RNLI lifeboat in Lyme
Regis, Dave Street, has retired because of work commitments.
Dave, 48, served for 22
years, starting as trainee shore crew and becoming one of the team of
helmsmen 15 years ago.
Dave joined the crew for
two main reasons. He was working as a barman in the Cobb Arms when he
overheard crew members saying they were short of volunteers. “The other
reason was more personal “ said Dave. “A cousin of mine drowned at
Bournemouth and I thought if there was anything I could do to prevent such
accidents then joining the RNLI was it.”
Dave, a self-employed
builder, added: “Of course I shall miss taking the lifeboat out, and the
camaraderie with the crew. But I won’t lose touch with all my old
colleagues.”
Dave’s last voluntary
duty with the crew was helping out with safety at the Lyme Lunge on New
Year’s Day.
And his lifeboat
colleagues gave him a thoroughly wet send off with a ceremonial dunking in
the sea.
8
January 2017
Ordeal in the
dark for broken leg victim rescued by lifeboat crew
A man who broke his leg
after slipping on rocks staggered and crawled for three quarters of a mile
for more than two hours in the dark before he was found by a lifeboat crew
and his worried wife.
Tim Robinson,54, fell
during a walk at about 4.30pm yesterday (Sat) on the beach under Golden
Cap, east of Lyme Regis.
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat
crew launched at 7.10pm to assist coastguards in a search for Mr
Robinson. They located him during a shoreline search eight minutes later.
Two first-aid trained
crew members, Tom Crabbe and Tom Wallis, went ashore to help coastguards
assess Mr Robinson’s condition. Meanwhile the lifeboat returned to Lyme
Regis to pick up three further crew to steady the vessel in the surf when
it was beached to take Mr Robinson aboard.
Mr. Robinson’s wife,
Paula, who raised the alarm, started to walk along the beach from Seatown
looking for her husband.
She said: ”Luckily, Tim
had a torch but no mobile phone. I saw a flicker of light and thought it
must be him. But I picked up a rock, just in case it wasn’t !”
Jon Broome, who was in
charge of the lifeboat for his first ‘shout’ since qualifying as a helm,
said: ”It was a very well organised rescue by all involved. It seems Mr.
Robinson used sticks to help him stagger and crawl towards Seatown after
the injury.”
From his hospital bed in
Dorchester Mr Robinson, who is a full time member of the Territorial Army,
said: ”I just slipped on a rock and have two fractures of the right leg.
Everyone who helped me was just terrific.”
Mr Robinson was taken
aboard the lifeboat to a waiting ambulance at Lyme Regis harbour. The
lifeboat returned at 8.49pm
Mr and Mrs Robinson, from
the Derby area, had been staying in Bridport on a short holiday.
September 2016
Lyme Regis
Christening makes history at lifeboat station
History
was made at Lyme Regis lifeboat station today when the town’s vicar
conducted a christening service for two children of an RNLI volunteer and
his wife.
Six months old Lottie and five years old Millie-Rose, whose father
Elliott Herbert is a lifeboat helm, were christened by the Rev. Jane
Skinner during a service in the boathouse with a congregation of some 70
family, friends and lifeboat crew members. It is thought to be the first
time a christening service has been held at any of the town’s lifeboat
stations since the lifeboat service began in Lyme Regis in 1826.
A ship’s bell, which has hung in the lifeboat station since it opened in
1997, was used as a font during the service.
The bell, from a 100,000 ton oil tanker, was presented to Fred Day, former
honorary secretary at the lifeboat station, when he retired from BP.
He in turn presented it to the RNLI to mark the opening of the Lyme Regis
lifeboat station.
Proud dad Elliott Herbert said: ”Lifeboats and lifeboat people have been
such an important part of our lives that Laura and I thought it would be
appropriate, and great fun, to hold the christening at the lifeboat
station surrounded by many of the people who are vital to the success of
the work of the RNLI.”
The Rev Jane Skinner said: “It was a joy to conduct the service at the
lifeboat station, and it was the first time I had used a magnificent
ship’s bell as a font.”
God parents to Millie-Rose are Lyme Regis lifeboat helm Murray Saunders,
Oliver Mallinson, Operations Manager (Lifeboats) at RNLI headquarters in
Poole, and Emma Darke, and God parents to Lottie are William Elwood, helm
with the Tower lifeboat in London and crew Assessor/Trainer and Nicola
Davis and Gemma Dunford.
