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Lifeboat
launched during England penalty shoot-out
RNLI Lyme Regis news release covering the launch of Lyme Regis lifeboat
to search for a couple reported to be cut off by the tide between Lyme
Regis and Charmouth. The couple were found fit, well and content to stay
on the beach until high tide had passed. The volunteer crew launched at
the exact time of England's penalty shoot-out with Switzerland in the
Euro 2024 quarter final.
July 4th 2024
Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week gets two extra highlights
On Monday July
29th at 7pm the popular shanty singers, the Chantry Buoys, will
appear at the performance area on Marine Parade.
The group of
eight men, from the Colyton area of East Devon, describe themselves as a
light-hearted team of friends who simply enjoy singing together as they
raise donations for charity.
And on Pirate
Day Friday August 2nd Brian and Alison Davey from Axminster
will be presenting their Punch and Judy show just as they have done for
the past 50 years.
The show, on
the sandy beach, will have a pirate theme, starring Captain Jack Sparrow.
Curtain up for each 30 minute performance will be at 12noon and 3pm.
Two new
highlights have been added to the programme for Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week
which starts on July 27th.
June 23rd
2024
Motor cyclists ride into
town with donation for Lyme Regis lifeboat volunteers
Thirty motorcyclists rode into Lyme
Regis today (Sunday) after a 70 mile journey to present a donation to the
volunteers of the town’s RNLI lifeboat.
The riders, all
members of the Bath Classic Motor Cycle Club, were met by members of the
lifeboat crew on the lifeboat station slipway and were presented with a
cheque for £400 from the club’s treasurer Don Adams.
Don said: “We admire
the lifeboat volunteers, and felt we would enjoy a Sunday ride to Lyme
Regis to make our donation and meet some of the lifeboat crew.”
June 15th
2024
Lifeboat Week planners appeal for volunteer helpers
One of the town’s most
eagerly awaited summer events – Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis - starts on
July 27th, and organisers are keen to recruit volunteer
helpers.
Anyone interested in
giving even an hour or two to help with some of the many planned events is
invited to a coffee morning at the lifeboat station on the Cobb at 11.30am
on July 2nd.
Organiser Krys Lavery,
volunteer manager of the lifeboat shop, said: “We are always on the look
out for extra helpers and this year is no exception. We need people to
help with our donation buckets, assist with events such as the book stall,
the fun run, pavement art, the swim challenge and many other attractions.
We would be delighted to welcome extra helpers to our coffee morning. We
are a very friendly bunch of lifeboat supporters and it’s all great fun
for such a good cause.”
Lyme Regis Lifeboat
Week regularly raises in the region of £35,000 for the lifesaving RNLI
charity.
The souvenir lifeboat
week programme , celebrating the RNLI’s 200th anniversary, is
now available from the lifeboat shop and other outlets around the town.
May 20th
2024
It’s a lifeboat quiz
night to save lives at sea
Lifeboat crew
volunteers in Lyme Regis are staging a special quiz night
on
June 7th as a fundraising event in the RNLI’s 200th
anniversary year.
The quiz is being held
at the town’s Woodmead Halls with doors opening at 7.30pm for an 8pm
start.
Teams of four to six
are invited to make a donation at their discretion. Organiser Petrina
Muscroft said: “This is a really special year for the RNLI, and in Lyme
Regis we are doing our best to make it truly memorable. There will be a
prize for the winning quiz team, and everyone taking part will know they
are helping the RNLI to achieve its pledge to save lives at sea.”
To book a table for
the quiz e-mail Petrina at
petrina_muscroft@rnli.org.uk
ends
- RNLI volunteers search coast for walkers feared
cut off by the tide a
Monday 11 March 2024
Lyme Regis RNLI
volunteers search coast for walkers feared cut off by the tide
The volunteer crew of Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat
launched today (10th March) to search for walkers reported to be cut off
by the tide and stuck in mud in the vicinity of Black Ven between Lyme
Regis and Charmouth.
Lyme Regis RNLI volunteers launched their Atlantic
85 inshore lifeboat ‘Spirit of Loch Fyne’ at 4:39 pm in response to
a tasking request from HM Coastguard to search for people reported to be
cut off by the rising spring tide. An additional concern was that one of
the casualties was trapped in mud. In relatively light winds and calm
conditions, the RNLI crew was quickly on scene and commenced a shoreline
search during which they contacted a man and woman walking towards
Charmouth. The couple confirmed that it was them who had raised the alarm,
but they had managed to extract themselves and were now safe, well and in
no need of assistance. However, the couple informed the lifeboat crew that
they had seen four other people on the beach closer to Lyme Regis who they
believed may have been in danger of being cut off.
Once the lifeboat had reached the reported position
two of the four volunteer crew swam ashore to locate the reported walkers.
They found the group of four safe and well on higher ground part way up
the cliff. Having confirmed that the group was in no danger and was
intending to spend the evening in their current position, the two RNLI
crew swam back to the lifeboat which returned to Lyme Regis harbour at
5:20 pm.
Volunteer lifeboat helm Jon Broome said, ‘It was
relatively easy to find the reported casualties in today’s conditions
which were a light south westerly wind and smooth sea state. They did well
to extract themselves from the sticky mud in this area which can be very
dangerous. We are grateful to them for alerting us to the possibility of
other casualties along the coast.’
The RNLI advises that walkers and fossil hunters take
great care when walking along this stretch of the coast. Frequent land
slips and cliff falls cause the beach to narrow increasing the likelihood
of becoming cut off by the rising tide. Walkers should never attempt to
climb cliff falls or mud slides as these are generally unstable and very
dangerous.
This was the sixth service call for Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat in 2024, the year in which the lifesaving charity celebrates its
200th anniversary.
4 March 2024
Lyme Regis RNLI crew applaud Dixie,10, for her
fund raising swim
A ten year old schoolgirl with brittle bone disease
has set herself a swimming challenge to raise funds for the RNLI.
Dixie Tomlinson loves swimming, so she set herself a
challenge to swim 1,000 lengths of the Flamingo pool at Axminster, Devon,
a total of 25 kilometres.
By Monday March 4 Dixie’s total was 932 lengths
and she had raised £1,115 , smashing her goal of £1,000.
Yesterday (Sunday March 3) Dixie received a standing
ovation when she met the volunteer crew at Lyme Regis lifeboat station.
Mum Mrs Rose Tomlinson said: “Dixie really loves
swimming and it is part of her rehabilitation after breaking bones. “
And Dixie, from Harcombe, near Uplyme, added: “I
wanted to do this fundraiser to help save the lives of people who get bad
injuries while out to sea. I am swimming, which I love, but I am also
raising funds for a great cause on the 200th anniversary of the
RNLI.”
Dixie’s swimming pool distance is estimated to be the
equivalent of the distance from Lyme Regis to Sidmouth.
22 February 2024
Calling all former Lyme
Regis RNLI crew members
The search is on to
trace as many former members of the RNLI lifeboat team in Lyme Regis to
help celebrate this year’s 200th anniversary of the life-saving
charity.
A special event is
being planned for August 1st during Lifeboat Week.
Volunteer Lifeboat
Operations Manager Mark Colley said : “No matter what role they played at
the lifeboat station we want to see as many former members of the crew as
possible.
“Everyone in our team
is regarded as a member of the crew so I hope plenty will get in touch as
we are planning something rather special.”
Former members of the
crew are asked to contact volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer Richard Horobin
by e-mail ...richardhorobin@googlemail.com
or 07974 268504.
21 February
2024
Eyes down for the RNLI’s 200th anniversary !
Crew members of the
RNLI lifeboat in Lyme Regis are staging a family fun bingo evening on
March 30th at Woodmead Halls in the town as part of their
celebrations for the charity’s 200th anniversary this year.
It’s eyes down at
7.30pm with doors opening at 6.45 and organiser, volunteer crew member
Dave Holland, said: “The emphasis is very much on fun for all the family.
We’ve got some great prizes, a raffle at half time and a big cash game at
the end of the evening.”
There is no charge to
take part and players have the opportunity to make a donation to the
life-saving charity.
ends
Lyme Regis RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew launch to
woman with broken ankle
Sunday 21 January 2024
The volunteer crew of Lyme Regis
RNLI lifeboat responded to their first service call of 2024 to go to the
aid of a female casualty on the beach between Lyme Regis and Charmouth.
Shortly after having washed down and rehoused their
Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat Spirit of Loch Fyne after a routine
training exercise, the volunteer crew received a request from HM
Coastguard to launch again, this time on service. Their task was to locate
a woman reported to have sustained a broken ankle whilst walking on the on
the beach under Black Ven between Lyme Regis and Charmouth.
The crew launched at 1:43pm and arrived on scene 10
minutes later. They located the casualty but due to poor
weather conditions, with a strong south westerly wind and heavy surf, they
were unable to approach the beach or put any crew ashore. HM Coastguard
rescue teams from Lyme Regis and West Bay were also tasked to the incident
and were able reach the casualty by walking along the beach from
Charmouth. Because of the casualty’s injury, and the prevailing weather
conditions, it was decided that safest means of rescue would be by
Coastguard helicopter.
Volunteer helm Jon Broome said, ‘We
quickly located the casualty who was part of a group of people walking on
the beach. Due to very poor weather conditions on the shoreline, it was
impossible to rescue her by sea, so we stood by offshore until the
Coastguard helicopter had transferred the group to safety at Charmouth.’
Spirit of Loch Fyne
was released from service at 4:07 pm and returned to Lyme Regis 15 minutes
later. This was the first service call for the volunteer crew of Lyme
Regis RNLI in 2024, the year in which the Charity celebrates its 200th
anniversary.
January
21st 2024
Lifeboat
crew plan 77 mile walk to launch 200th year
Crew members of the
RNLI lifeboat in Lyme Regis are launching their programme of projects
during the charity’s 200th anniversary year with a fundraising
walk along the town’s Marine Parade.
The walk, on February
11th will see teams of four setting out from the lifeboat
station to walk a combined total of 200 laps along the Parade to the
Millennium Clock at Cobb Gate.
Four teams will take
about ten minutes each for one lap and they reckon the event will take
eight hours to complete, starting at 8am.
One of the organisers,
senior helm Tim Edwards, said: “Originally the plan was for one person to
do the walk, then we realised that would take around 30 hours so we
decided on teams of four with each member’s lap counting towards the
total.”
The total distance of
the walk is an estimated 77miles.
20th
January2024
Small change is a big boost for RNLI in year 200
A couple who are
visiting all 238 RNLI lifeboat stations with little jars full of 5p coins
called in at Lyme Regis on the 13th leg of their marathon.
Julian Coles and his
partner Debbie Claridge, from Didcot, Oxfordshire, plan to end their
marathon in December having visited the lifeboat stations and donating
three jars of the coins at each one. Their project is in memory of a close
friend and Julian’s father both of whom were supporters of the RNLI.
By the end of their
travels Julian and Debbie estimate they will have driven 35,000 miles,
used 33 ferries, ten flights and handed over 720 Betty’s pots, the name of
the little jars recognising the supporter who started the fundraising
scheme.
Julian said: “We are
using weekends and holidays to travel . We thought it important to
remember my friend and my father, and as keen supporters of the RNLI we
wanted to help raise funds in the charity’s 200th year.”
Julian and Debbie are
members of the Marlborough Social Club in Didcot whose members raised the
funds to buy a D class lifeboat in 1988.
7th January 2024
Lyme Regis lifeboat
team launch RNLI’s big year
Volunteers who operate the lifeboat in Lyme Regis
are launching the RNLI’s 200th anniversary year in the town by hosting a
public meeting.
The meeting, on January 18th, has been
called by the Lyme Regis Lifeboat Management Group (LMG) and among the
speakers will be representatives of local coastguards, police and fire and
ambulance services.
Chairman of the LMG Mark Houghton said: “We have just
had a record year with 55 calls for the lifeboat – including the first
ever on a Christmas Day – and at the start of the RNLI anniversary year we
thought it important to bring our emergency service friends together and
invite the public with their questions.
“Many of the emergency calls we receive involve these
other services as well, so, as we celebrate the RNLI anniversary with many
events in the town, we thought it would be a good opportunity to explain
our various roles and listen to the views of those people we all serve.”
A programme of events is being planned by both the
lifeboat crew and the lifeboat supporters group throughout the year,
including Lifeboat Week, which this year starts on July 27th.
The public meeting is being held in the Lyme Regis
Football Club clubhouse on Charmouth Road starting at 7pm. Liquid
refreshments will be available.
Some 2023 shouts
Christmas Day shout
to dog in red jumper is a record breaker for Lyme Regis RNLI
Tuesday 26 December 2023
A dog dressed in a red festive jumper is the
latest casualty to be assisted by the volunteer crew of RNLI Lyme Regis in
their first ever service call out on a Christmas Day.
Whilst most of the nation sat down to enjoy Christmas
lunch, the volunteer crew of RNLI Lyme Regis headed out to sea to search
for a dog which had fallen from the top of cliffs at Pinhay Bay, two miles
west of Lyme Regis harbour. Emergencies services had been called by the
dog’s owners after it had disappeared over the edge of the cliff and was
unable to make its way back up to the top, or down to the beach 30 metres
below.
The Lyme Regis crew launched their RNLI Atlantic 85
inshore lifeboat Spirit of Loch Fyne at 12:58 pm and arrived on scene
seven minutes later and immediately commenced search of the cliffs towards
Humble Point. The volunteer crew eventually spotted the dog, a beagle/pug
cross named ‘Cook’, perched on a ledge 20 metres up the cliff face. Two
crew members swam ashore and, once on the beach, attempted to coax the dog
down to safety.
Volunteer crewman Andy Butterfield takes up the
story, ‘The dog could see us and hear us, but he made it very clear he was
not interested in leaving his ledge and making his way down to the beach.
All he did was sit up there barking and howling at us. The base of the
cliff was too unstable for us to climb up to him, so we quickly concluded
that ‘Cook’ would have to be rescued from above.’
HM Coastguard Rescue Teams from Lyme Regis and Beer
had also been tasked to the incident. They set up equipment to enable them
to carry out a rope rescue. ‘Cook’, apparently uninjured by his Christmas
Day drama, was eventually reunited with its grateful owners on the cliff
top.
Once RNLI volunteer crew Andy Butterfield and Giles
Bristow were confident that the dog was safely in the care of the
Coastguard team, they made their way along the shoreline to Humble Point
where they were able to swim back to the waiting lifeboat.
Spirit of Loch Fyne returned to Lyme Regis at 3:50 pm
where it was met by shore crew for a fresh water washdown before all
volunteers were able to rejoin their families for a delayed Christmas
lunch. This was the 55th service call RNLI Lyme Regis crew have responded
to this year, the highest number since the charity reopened the station in
1967.
The advice to dog owners from the RNLI and HM
Coastguard is to keep your dog on a lead when you are close to a cliff
edge or harbour wall.
29th November 2023
Ex police sergeant joins
Lyme Regis RNLI crew
A former police
sergeant has joined the volunteer management team of the RNLI in Lyme
Regis.
Mark Hill, 58, spent
32 years with Hertfordshire Constabulary in the traffic department and as
a major incident planning officer.
He has now joined the
team of DLAs – Deputy Launching Authorities – at the lifeboat station.
The role involves managing the lifeboat volunteers during their
life-saving missions afloat.
Mark said “We always
used to have holidays in the area, and I love Lyme. I also admire the work
of the RNLI volunteers so I thought I would do my best to help and I am
proud to be part of the team.”
Mark, his wife Kenra
and daughters Alice and Megan now run the Greenacres caravan site on
twelve and half acres at Marshwood
Monday 20 November 2023
The
RNLI in Lyme Regis was one of 3 charities chosen by local Co-Op customers
to receive support throughout 2023. A total of £1031 was raised for the
lifesaving charity
Every year Co-Op customers have the opportunity to
help local charities through the ‘Supporting your Local Communities’
scheme in which two pence in every pound spent in store is donated to
local groups. For 2023 the RNLI, the charity which saves lives at sea, was
one of three charities chosen to benefit from the scheme.
On Sunday 19 November the Co-Op's Jacqueline Hughes
dropped into Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat station to meet the volunteer crew
during their regular training session, and to celebrate the fact that a
total of £1031 had been raised by Co-Op customers for Lyme Regis RNLI.
Jacqueline said, ‘We are very pleased with how our loyal customers have
supported the Lyme Regis RNLI this year as part of our Supporting Local
Communities Scheme. The other two charities chosen for 2023 were the B
Sharp music charity and the King George V Playing Field in Uplyme.’
Joe Street, volunteer lifeboat crew at Lyme Regis
RNLI said, ‘We are very grateful to the Co-op and its customers for
raising this impressive amount. Our charity relies on donations such as
this to help us provide the 24/7 lifesaving service at Lyme Regis. So far
this year we have responded to 52 service calls to go the aid of people in
trouble.’
Monday 13 November 2023
Remembrance Sunday Service for Lyme Regis RNLI
Just
minutes after the Last Post had sounded on Lyme Regis’ Remembrance Day
parade the volunteer RNLI lifeboat crew launched to go to the aid of a
capsized dinghy.
Having just finished marching in the town’s Remembrance Sunday parade, and
whilst still dressed in their best RNLI uniforms, at 11.58 am the Lyme
Regis volunteer lifeboat crew received an ‘Immediate Launch’ request from
HM Coastguard, the highest priority alert. Their task was to rescue two
dinghy sailors who had capsized off Lyme Regis town beach and who were
unable to right their upturned boat.
The
lifeboat crew launched at 12.07pm and were quickly on scene 500m to the
east of Lyme Regis harbour entrance. Here they rescued one of the two
dinghy sailors from the water in the vicinity of the capsized boat. The
crew then collected the second casualty from Lyme Regis Sailing Club’s
safety boat which had rescued her a short time earlier. With both sailors
safely on board the lifeboat the volunteer crew took them into harbour and
into the care of Fire and Rescue Co-Responders. A Coastguard Rescue Team
had also been tasked to the incident.
Volunteer Helm Tom Crabbe said, ‘There was a big swell running this
morning, particularly over Broad Ledge to the east of the main beach area.
Once their dinghy had capsized the swell made it very difficult for the
two sailors to right their boat. Once we got them safely ashore we tried
to recover the dinghy but this proved impossible in the conditions.’
This
was the 51st service call Lyme Regis RNLI has responded to this year.
October
2023
Ship’s bell shines and
chimes for Fred’s 99th birthday
A former RNLI
volunteer who donated a magnificent ship’s bell to the lifeboat station in
Lyme Regis today (Sun) returned to the station to mark his 99th
birthday and to view the newly polished brass bell.
Fred Day, from Uplyme,
was the man in charge as honorary secretary at the lifeboat station from
1987 to 1994. He was a merchant navy chief engineer in BP oil tankers and
on retirement, after 32 years, he was presented with the bell from the
101,605 tonne oil tanker British Argosy.
He later presented
the bell to the RNLI to mark the opening of the Lyme Regis lifeboat
station in 1997 and it hangs just inside the entrance to this day.
A few weeks ago Fred
called in at the lifeboat station to check on the bell. He met Lifeboat
Press Officer Richard Horobin who said: “Fred was pleased to see the bell
but politely pointed out that it needed a bit of a polish. As he was
leaving the station he reminded me he would be 99 in a few weeks time, so
we thought it would be nice to give the bell a good polish and invite him
back to inspect it on his birthday.”
Lifeboat station tour
guide Chris MacDonald spent a few satisfying hours bringing the bell back
to its gleaming brilliance.
And Fred, who still
rides his battery-powered bicycle, said of his his 99th
birthday ‘present’ ?: “That’s much better I hope you can keep the bell
shining for years to come.”
11 October 2023
Hospital Catering
Association fundraisers return to Lyme Regis RNLI to
make large donation
In August two walkers from the Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) visited
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat station on completion of their sponsored walk
from Abbotsbury. Yesterday evening (10 October) HCA members returned to
make a sizeable donation raised from this and other fundraising
activities.
A South
West’s fundraising organiser Jane Wills and Abbotsbury walker Nick Cryer
met with the volunteer lifeboat crew at Lyme Regis RNLI to make the final
donation. Jane said, ‘Our South West region stretches from Gloucestershire
to Cornwall with many hundreds of miles of coastline which means that our
members are never very far from the sea. We chose the RNLI as our charity
to support this year in recognition of the vital lifesaving work their
volunteer crews do in all weathers and at any time of day or night.’
Tim
Edwards, senior helm at Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat station welcomed the
HCA’s donation. He said, ‘This was an impressive effort by HCA members to
raise £6200 for the RNLI. Our charity relies on donations such as this to
fund our lifesaving work around the coast.’
4 October 2023
Lyme
Regis Lifeboat Station Volunteer to feature in upcoming episode of new
RNLI podcast, 200 Voices
The Royal National
Lifeboat Institution’s (RNLI) new 200 Voices podcast launched on Friday 18
August 2023 and, in the run-up to the charity’s bicentenary on 4 March
2024, an episode will be released every day for 200 days, exploring
captivating stories from the charity’s history, through to the current
day.
In her podcast, released
on Saturday 7th October, Maria Barbashina from Lyme Regis RNLI
Lifeboat Station will be telling listeners about her project to paint the
portraits of 25 Lifeboat Station volunteers during the Covid pandemic, and
how she used the opportunity of painting sessions to get to know crew
members as she started her RNLI lifeboat crew training. She has since
qualified as lifeboat crew and has taken part in numerous service calls.
The RNLI has been saving
lives at sea since it was founded in 1824 and, in that time, its lifeboat
crews and lifeguards have saved over 144,000 lives. Funded by voluntary
donations, and with lifeboats crewed by specially-trained volunteers, the
RNLI is a truly unique rescue organisation with a remarkable 200-year
story to tell – many highlights of which are shared through the podcast
series.
Available across all
podcast platforms and the RNLI’s website, listeners can hear from
survivors, supporters, volunteers, lifeguards, celebrity ambassadors,
historians and many more from across the UK and Ireland – and beyond.
The 200 Voices series also
includes celebrity ambassadors such as The Sixth Commandment actor
Timothy Spall, Gavin and Stacey actress Ruth Jones, Irish musician
Phil Coulter, gold medal Olympian Sir Ben Ainslie and BAFTA-winning
actress Joanna Scanlan.
Launch into a podcast like
no other: Listen to the RNLI’s 200 Voices daily wherever you get your
podcasts or at RNLI.org/200Voices.
To find out more about the
RNLI’s bicentenary, visit
RNLI.org/200.
·
An audio trailer for 200 Voices
can be downloaded
here and the video trailer
here.
1 October 2023
Friends walk the Liberty Trail in aid of
Lyme Regis RNLI
Six friends arrived at Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat station yesterday (1
October) on completion of a 30 mile hike along the Liberty Trail for which
they raised £1787 in aid of the lifesaving charity. They were met by
volunteer lifeboat crew who applauded the team’s impressive fundraising
efforts.
2023 is the
fourth year in succession the friends, who call themselves ‘Boots to
Boats’, have completed the hike, each time raising funds for the RNLI
through sponsorship and donations. This year the ‘Boots to Boats’ team
comprised: Mark Farrell (37) and son Lewis (16), Nick Perry (37), Jack
Barrow (34), Ashley Clark (38) and Davey Thomas (26). The team was
accompanied by their mascot, puppy ‘Ace’.
The team
set off from Ham Hill, near Yeovil at 8:30am on Friday morning and arrived
at Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat station at 2:30pm on Sunday following the
Liberty Trail, a route reputedly followed by villagers making their way to
Lyme Regis to join the ill-fated Monmouth Rebellion in 1685. The team’s
journey included overnight camping stops at Misterton and Lamberts
Castle. On arrival at Lyme Regis the walkers were met by family and
friends as well as the volunteer crew of Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat.
Summing up
their experience walker Mark Farrell said, ‘This is the fourth time we
have completed this walk in aid of the RNLI, a charity which we truly
believe in. Every year our team gets bigger, as does the amount of money
we raise. We plan to do it again next year, the 200th
anniversary of the foundation of the RNLI”.
Lifeboat
trainee helm Mark Ellis welcomed the team to the lifeboat station. He
said, ‘The Boots to Boats walkers have done an amazing job raising nearly
£1800 for their weekend hike. Our charity relies on donations such as this
to fund the lifesaving service we deliver. We look forward to meeting the
team again next year on our 200th anniversary.’
1 October 2023
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat crew launch to
yacht with engine failure
Volunteer lifeboat crew from Lyme Regis launched yesterday (30 September)
to go to aid of a yacht which had broken down 8 miles south of Lyme Regis.
Yacht
Opalessence was on passage from Dartmouth to Portland when her engine
began to lose power as it crossed Lyme Bay. Eventually the engine stopped
completely leaving veteran sailors Robin and Valerie Isaacs with no hope
of rounding Portland Bill with a favourable tide in daylight. Mr Isaacs
was also suffering from severe seasickness as he struggled to find the
cause of the engine failure in rough sea conditions.
The yacht
crew clearly needed help and contacted HM Coastguard for assistance. Lyme
Regis RNLI lifeboat crew were paged at 2:33pm and launched their Atlantic
85 class inshore lifeboat Spirit of Loch Fyne 8 minutes later.
Arriving at
the yacht’s position at 3:07pm the RNLI volunteers made a rapid assessment
of the casualty vessel and her crew. They decided that the best course of
action would be to tow the 10m yacht to the safety of Lyme Regis harbour.
Two lifeboat crew were put on the yacht to manage the towline and keep
watch over her crew. Once the towline had been set up the two vessels
slowly made their way towards Lyme Regis arriving at 5:10pm. Once the
yacht had been securely moored to the harbour pontoons her crew was taken
ashore to the lifeboat station.
In reviewing the day’s events yachtswoman Valerie Isaacs said, ‘We were
making good progress across Lyme Bay when our engine failed, and we had
difficulty with our mainsail. I was also becoming increasing concerned for
the condition of my husband who was suffering with severe seasickness.
Once I decided to radio the coastguard for help it was a great relief to
know that the lifeboat was on its way. The RNLI crew arrived very quickly
and immediately took charge of the situation. We have supported the RNLI
charity for many years, but this is the first time we have needed to call
on their lifesaving service.”
This was
the 41st service call for the volunteers of Lyme Regis lifeboat
station this year.
26th
September 2023
Cyclists saddle up for
£1,400 donation for RNLI
A group of cyclists
who raised more than £3,000 last year for the RNLI in memory of a friend
have been riding and walking again this year, and boosted the life-saving
charity’s funds by another £1,400.
Senior fitness
instructor Matthew Payne organised the sponsored events...a 131mile cycle
ride from Lyme Regis lifeboat station with five colleagues to the lifeboat
station in Newquay, and a 41 mile walk along the East Devon Way from
Exmouth lifeboat station to the Lyme Regis RNLI base with three of his
friends.
The fund raising
events were in memory of Matthew’s best friend Adam Bounds who died, aged
41, in 2021. Adam loved Lyme Regis, particularly Lifeboat Week, and the
friends often visited Newquay.
24th
September 2023
Ex-Met detective is
volunteer lifeboat station guide
A former London police
officer and head of security for the NHS has become the first volunteer
tour guide for the RNLI’s lifeboat station in Lyme Regis.
Chris MacDonald, 66, a
retired detective constable with the Metropolitan police force, has
started his role on Friday mornings but may extend the sessions while his
wife, Avril, serves customers in the RNLI gift shop next to the lifeboat
station.
Chris, whose various
jobs took him to Kenya, Hong Kong and Uganda said: “I am delighted to help
promote the RNLI’s terrific work. People are very keen to hear about our
volunteers and how so many of them drop everything to go to sea to help
those in trouble. Chris gives visitors a brief talk and then a walk
through the lifeboat station to get a close up view of the Atlantic 85
lifeboat, Spirit of Loch Fyne.
11 September 2023
RNLI Lyme
Regis crew leavers honoured at summer family party
Volunteer lifeboat crew, their families and friends enjoyed an
end-of-summer party at Lyme Regis Powerboat Club last Saturday.
In
glorious weather the crew’s children were entertained by a magician whilst
all guests enjoyed a sumptuous buffet supper. The opportunity was also
taken to present leaving mementoes and letters of thanks from the
lifesaving charity to two crew members who have recently stepped down
after a number of years on the lifeboat.
Rich Tilley
volunteered as boat crew between 2017 and 2022. During his service he went
to sea on 50 service calls and 67 training exercises spending a total of
155 hours at sea.
Kyle
Knight’s lifeboat career covered the years 2019 to 2022. During this
period he logged 115 hours at sea including 11 service calls and 72
training sessions.
In
presenting the awards Lifeboat Operations Manager Mark Colley said, ‘Rich
and Kyle can be justly proud of what they have achieved during their RNLI
service. We are grateful for all the effort they put in during training,
on shouts and in supporting the charity both on and off the lifeboat.’
RNLI Lyme
Regis currently has 17 sea-going crew members of whom 5 are training to
advance their skills under the two-tier training system recently adopted
by the RNLI.
9 September 2023
Diver rescued by Lyme Regis lifeboat
crew to feature in RNLI podcast
The RNLI’s new 200
Voices podcast launched on Friday 18 August 2023 and, in the run-up to the
charity’s bicentenary on 4 March 2024, an episode will be released every
day for 200 days, exploring captivating stories from the charity’s
history, through to the current day.
On 18th September Jeff
Everett, a diver who was rescued by volunteer crew from Lyme Regis
Lifeboat Station, will be telling listeners about the day in April this
year when he and his dive buddy Robin got into serious trouble whilst
diving on a First World War wreck in Lyme Bay. As they ascended from a
depth of 29 metres Robin suffered the onset of a dangerous condition known
as ‘The Bends’. In the podcast Jeff explains what happened next.
The charity has been
saving lives at sea since it was founded in 1824 and, in that time, its
lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 144,000 lives. Funded by
voluntary donations, and with lifeboats crewed by specially-trained
volunteers, the RNLI is a truly unique rescue organisation with a
remarkable 200-year story to tell – many highlights of which are shared
through the podcast series.
Available across all
podcast platforms and the RNLI’s website, listeners can hear from
survivors, supporters, volunteers, lifeguards, celebrity ambassadors,
historians and many more from across the UK and Ireland – and beyond.
The 200 Voices series also
includes celebrity ambassadors such as The Sixth Commandment actor
Timothy Spall, Gavin and Stacey actress Ruth Jones, Irish musician
Phil Coulter, gold medal Olympian Sir Ben Ainslie and BAFTA-winning
actress Joanna Scanlan.
RNLI Strategic Content
Manager, Rory Stamp said: ‘We knew we had to do something really special
to mark the RNLI’s 200th anniversary, which is such a monumental
milestone.
‘200 Voices is an
incredible collection of stories that are emotive, powerful, inspiring and
heart-warming. The series gives us a chance to hear from a whole variety
of amazing people who have played a part in or been touched by our
lifesaving charity.
‘200 Voices is the first
in a programme of activity planned to mark the RNLI’s bicentenary as we
celebrate the world-class lifesaving service we provide today, remember
our remarkable history and aim to inspire the future generations of
lifesavers and supporters as we move through into the next 200 years.’
Launch into a podcast like
no other: Listen to the RNLI’s 200 Voices daily wherever you get your
podcasts or at RNLI.org/200Voices.
To find out more about the
RNLI’s bicentenary, visit
RNLI.org/200.
4th
September 2023
How
Florence,4, and Rupert,6, boosted the lifeboat charity
Donations are the
lifeblood of the life-saving charity, the RNLI, and they come from from a
huge variety of sources.
But one donation that
touched the volunteers running the lifeboat shop on the Cobb in Lyme Regis
came from a very young source indeed...Florence Newman, aged 4, and her
brother Rupert, 6.
They enjoyed watching
the RNLI lifeguards in action and decided to raise a donation selling
some fossils and toys on the beach.
They raised £32 and
their dad, David, then doubled the total . The youngsters then went to the
lifeboat shop and presented the cash to shop volunteer Lorraine Sivewright.
She said: “They were a
lovely family and everyone was so impressed I just had to take a
photograph.”
Dad David said: “It
was all Rupert’s idea. He had been collecting fossils and some people gave
him five and ten pound notes. But to increase his collection he decided to
sell some old toys as well.”
19th
August 2023
How lifeboat week
chairman was bowled over by donation
Chairman of the group
who organise Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis, Ken Lavery has declared himself
‘bowled over’ by the generosity of sportsmen and women in the town.
Members of Lyme Regis
Bowling Club today presented a cheque for £200 to Mr. Lavery, to further
boost donations made during Lifeboat Week. The donation was raised during
a bowls drive at the club.
Mr. Lavery, who is
chairman of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth Lifeboat Supporters, said: “We
have already announced gross donations of £33,000 for the week and the
bowling club have been very generous again this year adding a substantial
amount to our total.”
16 August 2023
Lyme Regis lifeboat launches to beached yacht.
Lyme Regis volunteer lifeboat crew had their regular Tuesday evening
training session interrupted last evening (15 Aug) when they were tasked
to go to the aid of a man whose yacht had grounded on the beach at West
Bexington.
The 33 ft yacht had suffered engine failure during a passage from Weymouth
to West Bay and was washed ashore at West Bexington. The solo sailor, a
man in his seventies, was still on board the yacht as it grounded
prompting concern from the public for his safety. In response to a 999
call, Solent Coastguard tasked the Lyme Regis lifeboat to investigate and
assess the situation.
The volunteer lifeboat crew received the coastguard tasking at 5:18 pm
shortly after they had launched on their regular Tuesday evening training
session. They immediately diverted to the stricken yacht arriving on scene
at 17:38 where they found the man fit and well. Having assessed the
situation the crew decided that it would be possible to refloat the yacht
at high tide and tow it to safety. Volunteer Helm Tim Edwards said,
‘The yacht was firmly aground and unlikely to refloat on her own. Even if
she did, with no engine to help him, the skipper would struggle to make it
to a place of safety. As we had favourable wind conditions and a rising
tide, we decided to attempt to tow the yacht clear. After about 45 minutes
she refloated and we were able to tow her, and her skipper, to the safety
of West Bay harbour.’
Once the yacht had been handed over to West Bay harbour staff lifeboat
Spirit of Loch Fyne returned to Lyme Regis at 8:15 pm.
12th
August 2023
Sit ! Dog portrait
artist plans to paint for the RNLI
A retired art director
with a love of dogs is planning to raise funds for the RNLI by painting
portraits of his favourite four legged friends.
Clive Hemsley, who
recently moved to Lyme Regis, has painted more than 2,000 dog portraits
and hopes to add to that total raising funds for the town’s lifeboat
volunteers at the same time.
Mr. Hemsley, owner of
a six year old labrador called Bear, said: “I started painting dog
portraits almost by accident. I was walking my dog when it bit a lady’s
hand and it caused a finger to bleed.
“As compensation I
offered to paint a portrait of her dog, and she was delighted.”
The story appeared in
the local paper in Henley on Thames, where Mr Hemsley lived, and resulted
in 70 commissions.
Now, having moved to
Lyme Regis, Mr Hemsley is converting his garage into a studio.
To raise donations for
the RNLI Mr. Hemsley hopes to set up his easel by Lyme Regis lifeboat
station on Saturday August 26th to attract commissions and to
give a percentage of any fees to the lifeboat charity.
7th
August 2023
Civic leaders’ Lyme
Regis RNLI visit ends with a lifeboat launch
A visit to the
lifeboat station in Lyme Regis by civic leaders from throughout Dorset had
just ended today(Mon) when pagers sounded and the RNLI’s volunteer crew
arrived to deal with an emergency call.
The alarm was raised
at 1241pm when coastguards requested the crew to launch after an elderly
man was reported in difficulties in the water off Beer.
The mayor of Lyme
Regis Cllr David Sarson was hosting his first Civic
Day, and 34
representatives of town councils had just heard talks by the lifeboat
station’s visits officer Petrina Muscroft and Lifeboat Operations Manager
Mark Colley.
Petrina said: “I had
just finished my talk explaining how the lifeboat crew respond promptly to
a pager call, and how they had to wear all manner of equipment to keep
safe at sea, when the pagers went off. I had to leave the civic visitors
quickly to prepare for the launch. It certainly brought home many of the
points I talked about, such as how our volunteers leave work or home and
frequently launch within a few minutes of the call for help.” Many of the
mayors and their partners stayed to watch as the lifeboat crew prepared to
launch.
Solent Coastguards
stood the Lyme Regis lifeboat down when it was reported that the elderly
man was safe.
It was the 31st
call for help answered by the Lyme Regis lifeboat crew so far this year.
30th July
2023
Lyme Regis Lifeboat
Week beats the weather and raises £33,000
One of the most
eagerly anticipated events in the summer calendar of Lyme Regis - Lifeboat
Week – ended yesterday (Sat).
And despite a soggy
start on the first day visitors, local residents and businesses helped to
raise a gross sum of £33,000 for the lifesaving RNLI with some donations
still to come in.
The packed week of
events was organised by the Lyme Regis and Charmouth Lifeboat Supporters
together with a great deal of effort from members of the lifeboat crew.
Chairman of the
supporters group, Ken Lavery said: “This is a magnificent result
considering the weather. Our group of volunteers can take great pride in
their contribution to a fabulous week. And of course we are deeply
grateful to those hundreds of people who donated to our charity throughout
the week. I have had many people telling me how much they enjoyed the week
and checking on the date of next year’s event which will start on July
27th.
The last event on the
water was the bathtub race on Saturday evening, which was won by the local
firefighters who came first despite having to answer a call to a small
fire during the race. Members of their bathtub crew were taken ashore by
the harbourmaster’s launch to get to the waiting fire engine. The RNLI’s
Lyme Regis bathtub team came second.
One casualty of the
weather – a low cloud base – was the display by the army’s Red Devils
parachute team. But members of the team still visited the town much to the
delight of children and adults alike.
A performance by the
Eastern Promise belly dancers was also called off because of rain on the
first day.
Just before the
bathtub race, 55 children and adults took part in the swimming challenges.
For the second year
running Pirate Day was a big success, and visits to the lifeboat to meet
the crew aboard the vessel moored on the harbour pontoons were also very
popular.
On a tasty note, the
produce stall with many delicious items made by lifeboat volunteers,
raised a record over £1,000 And the lifeboat crew sold 550 hot dogs
during their barbecue on the harbour slipway.
14th
July 2023
Lifeboat launched to
‘kite surfer in trouble’
The volunteer crew of
Lyme Regis’ RNLI lifeboat launched this evening (Friday) when coastguards
reported that a kite surfer was in difficulty in the water off Charmouth
beach.
The lifeboat crew
launched at 5.40pm, and just a few minutes later established that a kite
surfer had lost some of his equipment and that he and others with him were
safe.
Coastguards stood down
the lifeboat crew at 6pm. The incident, which was reported to coastguards
by someone ashore, was the 29th call for help answered by the
Lyme Regis lifeboat crew so far this year.
July 6th
2023
Lyme Regis RNLI team
aiming for a Lifeboat Week record
Organisers of one of
the most popular summer events in Lyme Regis are setting their sights on a
fundraising record.
Lifeboat Week in the
town starts on Saturday July 22nd and chairman of the Lyme
Regis and Charmouth Lifeboat Supporters Ken Lavery said: “Since the 1970s
this annual event has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for our
lifesaving charity. For example we raised around £40,000 last year. And as
we approach the RNLI’s bicentenary next year we are determined to keep our
proud record, and with the generosity of visitors and those living
locally, we hope to set a new one.
“The supporters group
spend much of the year planning Lifeboat Week and we believe we have
another terrific programme of activities for all the family.”
Back by popular demand
are the army’s Red Devils parachute display team, along with favourites
such as the bathtub race, the crab fishing competition, and the incredibly
popular wine or water lucky dip and the second hand book stall.
“All we need now is
good weather,” said Ken Lavery. The week will be opened by the recently
elected mayor, Cllr. David Sarson at 2pm at the lifeboat station.
After this year’s
event is over, plans will be made for the 2024 week which will start on
July 27th.
6 July 2023
Lifeboat launched to search for ‘stranded’ beach walkers
For the third time in a week the crew of Lyme Regis lifeboat Spirit of
Loch Fyne launched to assist coastguards in locating people reported
to be in difficulty on the beach near Charmouth.
The lifeboat launched at 9:33 last night to search for walkers
reportedly cut off by the tide on the beach east of Charmouth, close to a
recent cliff fall. This is the third such call out the Lyme Regis
volunteer crew have responded to in the last 7 days. A coastguard rescue
team was also tasked.
Within 10 minutes the lifeboat was on scene and the crew confirmed that 3
walkers and their dog were in no difficulty and had a clear path back to
Charmouth. A shoreline search was then carried out towards Golden Cap to
ensure there were no other walkers in difficulty before the lifeboat was
stood down, returning to Lyme Regis at 10:09pm.
This was the lifeboat crew’s 28th service call this year.
July 4th
2023
Model boat builder
donates ship’s value to Lyme Regis RNLI
Model boat builder
Dave Jenkin’s plan to give his magnificent frigate to the volunteers of
RNLI in Lyme Regis was scuppered when his family said they could not bear
him to part with it.
But that did not stop
Dave, 73, from making a donation of £300 – his estimated value of the
model – to his favourite lifesaving charity.
Dave’s detailed model
of the Leander class HMS Danae took almost two years to complete at his
home in Bridport. He has been building replicas for more than 30 years and
has displayed them at shows throughout the country including Lifeboat Week
in Lyme Regis.
Dave served in the
Royal Navy between 1966 and 1974 . Later he was a regular driver of the
number 71 town bus in Lyme Regis.
Dave said: “I have
been a long term supporter of the RNLI and wanted to donate one of my
favourite models to the charity for them to auction in Lifeboat Week, but
my family persuaded me not to part with it and to give a cash gift
instead.”
A spokesperson for the
RNLI said: “We fully understand Dave’s family’s reluctance to part with
this beautiful model and can guarantee that we will put his donation to
good use by our volunteers in Lyme Regis.”
Lifeboat Week in Lyme
Regis starts on July 22nd and includes activities for all the
family including another visit by the Army’s Red Devils parachute team,
and many favourites such as the bathtub race, the pirates’ day, treasure
hunt, paddle boarding, and the crab fishing competition.
1 July 2023
Lifeboat launches to coastal dog walkers cut off by the tide
The volunteer crew of Lyme Regis lifeboat ‘Spirit of Loch Fyne’ launched
yesterday afternoon (Fri) on a task which has become all too familiar,
walkers on the beach cut off by the tide.
The lifeboat launched at 2:48 to assist two walkers and a dog who had been
reported to be cut off by the tide on the beach east of Charmouth with
their path blocked by recent cliff falls. Coastguard rescue teams from
Lyme Regis and West Bay were also tasked to the incident. When the
lifeboat crew arrived on scene they assessed the surf to be too high for
them to safely extract the walkers by sea, so stood by whilst the
coastguard rescue teams helped them leave the beach via a footpath at St
Gabriel’s Steps. The RNLI crew returned to Lyme Regis at 4:22.
This was
the lifeboat crew’s 26th service call this year and the 9th
to people becoming cut off by the tide, stuck in mud or slipping on rocks
along the beach.
RNLI
volunteer water safety officer Nick Marks said, ‘Caution should be taken
when walking along this stretch of coastline. There are several places
where it is possible to get off by the tide so plan your route carefully.
There are also frequent cliff falls and slippages which are extremely
dangerous. Do not be tempted to walk over a slippage as the surface will
be unstable and may contain deep mud pools which are very difficult to
escape from.’
20th
June 2023
RNLI launches new
safety device for Lyme Regis cold water swimmers
Cold water swimmers
who get into trouble off Lyme Regis seafront now have special safety
equipment provided by the RNLI
A lockable box
containing vital safety equipment has been fixed to the groyne at the east
end of the sandy beach, close to the lifeguards station. It contains
equipment including a throw line, first aid kit and a survival bag.
The RNLI’s Lyme Regis
Water Safety Officer Nick Marks said: “Cold water swimming as a leisure
activity has increased dramatically over recent years and sometimes
swimmers need assistance or first aid treatment. The RNLI is happy to
provide this safety equipment as part of its mission to save lives at sea.
The town council has also assisted in fixing the safety box in a prominent
position.”
One cold swimming
group, the Lyme Regis Bluetits, has welcomed the RNLI initiative.
The group’s
administrator, Beverley Glock said: “We now have more than a thousand
members and very occasionally a swimmer will need help getting out of the
water or warming up. Having this safety equipment on hand is a great
reassurance.”
June 10th
2023
Coastguards and
lifeboat crew in rescue of paddleboarder clinging to harbour wall
A paddleboarder who
was knocked off his board by waves was rescued by coastguards as he clung
to the wall of the Cobb harbour in Lyme Regis today (Saturday).
Two other
paddleboarders with him managed to get to safety but the third was washed
against the wall and was able to stand on a ledge and hang on to rocks.
Lyme Regis lifeboat
crew were first on the scene and reassured 21 year old Josh Evans that
coastguards were on the way to help him. The lifeboat was unable to reach
Mr Evans because of rocks.
Lyme Regis and Beer
coastguards answered an ‘immediate rescue’ call and using ropes and a
harness pulled Mr Evans to safety.
Mr. Evans said: “The
waves took us towards the harbour wall and I managed to get on to the
ledge. The other two paddleboarders were able to get ashore, but they had
also been washed off their boards.
“I was very pleased to
see the coastguards and the lifeboat crew.”
Mr Evans, from
Tatworth, was not injured and was checked over by Mark Ellis, a paramedic
who is also a volunteer member of the lifeboat crew
May 12th
2023
Lifeboat crew
tackle fire aboard 38ft yacht
The crew of Lyme
Regis’ RNLI lifeboat last night went to the aid of a couple whose yacht
caught fire 300m east of the town’s harbour.
The alarm was raised
at 7.50pm when fire broke out in the electrical mechanism of the windlass
which operates the yacht’s anchor.
The couple aboard the
38ft yacht, Charisma, Adam Bispham and his wife Lynne, from Weymouth, used
fire extinguishers. Two lifeboat crew members also tackled the fire.
Mr. Bispham said: “We
were just lowering the anchor when the fire started. It could have been
very serious. I am a member of the RNLI and this is the first time I have
had to call them. We were delighted to see them.
“The lifeboat crew
were fantastic and even lifted the anchor by hand and inflated our
tender.”
Long-serving lifeboat
volunteer Jon Broome said: “There was a good deal of smoke when we arrived
on scene but the fire was soon under control. Mr and Mrs Bispham were
pleased to see us and even made us a cup of tea with biscuits.
“After the incident we
made sure they were safe and secure for their overnight stay.”
The lifeboat crew
returned to Lyme Regis harbour after 90 minutes on scene.
11th
May 2023
Blessing the boats features more local
groups
The annual blessing of
the boats service at Lyme Regis lifeboat station on Sunday will feature
more local groups than ever.
This year the
inter-denominational service starts at 3pm. and will be led by the Rev.
Chris Martin, supported by town crier Alan Vian representing the Baptist
church.
Everyone is invited to
the open air service which honours those who work on the water, those
who enjoy the sea and those who have lost their lives at sea.
Music for the service
will be provided by the Lyme Regis Town Band and four wreaths will be
laid at sea by the lifeboat crew.
Groups taking part
include the Royal British Legion, coastguards, the sailing club, the Boat
Building Academy, the gig club, Blue Tits swimmers, the White Knights
Kayak Club, and the Lyme Regis Water Polo Club.
9th May
RNLI VOLUNTEERS IN
CORONATION WEEKEND TREK
Twelve intrepid RNLI volunteers braved inclement
weather over the Coronation Weekend to walk 103 miles along the South West
coastal path raising funds for the RNLI’s Mayday Mile campaign. The
walkers, all volunteers at Poole lifeboat station left Mudeford lifeboat
station at 4am Sunday morning and, having worked in relays, finished at
Lyme Regis lifeboat station at 9pm on Monday evening where they were met
by members of the Lyme Regis crew . Their route took them along some of
the most picturesque coastline on the south coast but, because of heavy
rain and poor visibility on Monday, they were unable to see very much of
it.
Poole lifeboat crew member and organiser of the event
Nikki Peace said, “We have experienced all four seasons in 2 days but we
just had to keep going. We had 12 amazing walkers and two brilliant
support vehicle drivers to keep our spirits up. In recognition of the
Coronation weekend we used a crown to hand over as a baton on each of the
12 legs of the walk. It was also fitting that that our final destination
on the Coronation bank holiday was the Royal Borough of Lyme Regis.”
Pictured arriving at Lyme Regis lifeboat are walkers
Steve Porter, Nikki Peace, Kitty Norman and support driver Ollie Waring.
8th
May 2023
Cyclists saddle up
again for the RNLI
Five cyclists who
raised more than £3,000 for the RNLI last year are preparing to do it all
again this year.
The riders, led by
Honiton-based senior fitness instructor Matthew Payne, plan to cycle 131
miles from Lyme Regis lifeboat station to Newquay lifeboat station in one
day.
The ride is again in
memory of Matthew’s best friend, Adam Bounds, a keen supporter of Lyme
Regis Lifeboat Week, who died aged 41, in 2021.
The cyclists Matthew,
Rob Gage, Edder Gage, Dan Galloway and Alan Cockram will be setting out
from Lyme Regis lifeboat station at 5am on May 27th.
Matthew said:” Last
year we finished the journey in ten hours 34 minutes and we hope to beat
that time this year.”
Matthew, Alan Cockram,
duty manager at the Honiton Leisure Centre, and Andrew Dare,, who is
Group Fitness and Wellbeing manager also with LED Leisure, are planning
another challenge on June 23rd when they will walk 41 miles of
the East Devon Way from Exmouth lifeboat station to the Lyme Regis base
of the RNLI.
11th
April 2023
Co-op backs Lyme
Regis RNLI
Lyme Regis lifeboat
crew member Dave Holland donned his sea-going outfit on Saturday (April 8th),
but he did not go to sea. Instead he took up an offer from the town’s
Co-op store to make a collection for the life-saving charity.
Dave was on duty at
the store in Broad Street at the invitation of Jacqueline Hughes, the
Co-op’s Member Pioneer for Axminster and Lyme Regis. The Co-op chose the
RNLI as a local good cause and Dave’s collection bucket showed a profit of
£40 after just ninety minutes.
7th
April 2023
Three rescued from broken down speedboat
Three people – two men
and a boy- were rescued by the volunteer crew of Lyme Regis lifeboat
yesterday after their speedboat suffered engine
failure.
The speedboat crew
anchored their broken down vessel half a mile from the harbour and the
RNLI volunteers towed it to safety.
The lifeboat launched
at 7.50pm and returned to Lyme Regis harbour half an hour later.
This was the seventh
emergency call answered by the lifeboat crew so far this year.
7th
April 2023
A
record year for lifeboat fundraisers
Volunteer members of
the Lyme Regis and Charmouth Lifeboat Supporters heard about their record
year of fundraising at their annual meeting on April 5th.
Treasurer Brian
Cursley told the meeting that the net figure raised for the lifesaving
charity last year was £100, 306.74, beating the 2021 total by more than
£2,000. A further £111,000 from the lifeboat shop profits achieved a total
of £211, 337 raised in the area during 2022.
Chairman of the
supporters Ken Lavery said they were hopeful of another successful year in
2023,and were now busy planning Lifeboat Week which runs from July 22nd
to 29th.
Guest speaker at the
annual meeting was Neil Withers, the RNLI’s Operations Manager for several
lifeboat stations on a stretch of the River Thames from Teddington to
Gravesend. He explained how he developed a fascination for everything in
and on the water, a passion which grew after he visited Lyme Regis
lifeboat station as a boy.
12th
March 2023
Lyme Regis lifeboat volunteers launch to
‘May Day’
Volunteers with the
RNLI lifeboat in Lyme Regis launched at 12.34pm following reports
from coastguards of a ‘May Day’, the most urgent of radio distress calls
at sea.
It was not known what
type of vessel had reported the May Day, but it was thought to be from the
user of a kayak.
Solent coastguards
requested the lifeboat crew to carry out a shoreline search from Lyme
Regis to Seatown. At the same time the independent lifeboat crew based at
Sidmouth searched eastwards from Beer Head. Nothing was found and both
crews were stood down at 1.19pm.
This was the 5th
emergency call answered by the Lyme Regis volunteers so far this year, and
came just minutes after the end of a regular Sunday morning training
session.
It was also the first
‘shout’ for Deputy Launch Authority Dave Street who recently rejoined the
Lyme Regis volunteers after many years as a sea-going member of the crew.
He said: “I was not
expecting a shout at the end of my first training session, but it did not
take long getting back into the swing of things and, as always, the crew
did a brilliant job.”
NB:
13th
March 2023: It was later
established that a kayaker had capsized off Lyme Regis and sent the May
Day message. He then managed to reach safety ashore without needing
assistance from the lifeboat crew.
January
2023
Butcher Brett’s
hamper raises £400 for RNLI
Butcher Brett Moulding
visited his favourite resort today (Sunday) and presented a cheque for
£400 to the volunteer crew members of the RNLI in Lyme Regis.
Brett raised the
donation with his Christmas hamper raffle for customers at his shop,
Loders Butchers, off Middle Street in Yeovil.
Brett, a butcher for
25 years, said: “We chose the RNLI in Lyme Regis for the donation because
our family members have been regular visitors to the town for many years,
but also because we feel the lifeboat volunteers do a great job and
deserve all the help they can get.”
23rd
January 2023
Lyme
Regis lifeboat crew launched to ‘two stuck in the mud’
Lyme Regis lifeboat launched yesterday at 5.45pm to a report of two people
in trouble at Black Venn, between Charmouth and Lyme Regis.
The
lifeboat launched within 8 minutes of being contacted by the coastguard
and were quick to arrive on scene. Sea conditions were favourable so two
volunteer crew went ashore to assure the two people that were stuck.
The local
coastguard crews and nearby fire engine crews were called to assist. The
lifeboat took members of the Lyme Regis and West Bay coastguard team with
their equipment from the lifeboat station to the site at Black Venn.
The
coastguard were able to use their mud rescue equipment to assist the two
people and then all returned to the lifeboat station.
The
lifeboat returned to the station by 8pm.
Tim
Edwards, helm of the lifeboat said “This was a great example of how our
training helps, we had a multi-service challenge and everyone worked
quickly and efficiently to recover the casualties during a rising tide.”
The couple
were visiting for a birthday trip to Lyme Regis, they were enjoying the
coast when they got into trouble. They called 999 and asked for the
coastguard and were safely recovered.
The two rescued are Max Drinan, 32, a copywriter and Sadie Solagnier, 29,
a medical editor both from London. They were visiting Lyme Regis to
celebrate Max’s birthday.
Sadie said: “It was terrifying. The water was up to my hips and we
realised the tide was coming in. Max was up to his knees in water, but we
could not reach each other. I think we were about six metres apart.
“I managed to get some purchase on rocks which helped me to stand up.
“But all the time we did not know how high the tide would be. It was so
comforting to see people arriving to help us and, in particular, the
lifeboat and the two lifeboat crew members who came to us and helped to
calm us down.
“Apart from this experience we loved our visit to Lyme Regis and we will
be coming back again next year. We hope to call in to the lifeboat station
and repeat our thanks to everyone who helped us.”
14th
January 2023
Lyme Regis RNLI is
top of the shops
Volunteers who run the
RNLI’s lifeboat shop in Lyme Regis are celebrating a record year with
sales beating every one of the charities’
other 172 outlets.
The retail branch at
RNLI headquarters in Poole was the only location to beat the Lyme Regis
total, and the tiny harbourside shop on the Cobb has recorded a best-ever
total for the ‘traditional’ outlets.
Treasurer Brian
Cursley told a meeting of the Lyme Regis Lifeboat Supporters that the shop
had achieved profits of £111,000 in 2022 and this had beaten the previous
record in 2013,making the harbourside store the most successful in the UK
and Ireland.
Mr Cursley said the
total raised for the charity in Lyme Regis during last year including the
shop, lifeboat week and other donations was £207,000.
Volunteer manager of
the shop, Krys Lavery said: “These results are a massive tribute to all
our fantastic volunteers, those who give their time in the shop, those who
organise lifeboat week, the lifeboat crew, of course, and all our generous
supporters in the town and visitors from far and wide.”
January
8th 2023
‘Come and meet us’
invitation from the lifeboat crew
The Lyme Regis
volunteers responsible for operating the RNLI’s lifeboat service in the
town are inviting anyone interested to join them at their next meeting on
January 19th.
The open meeting, at
the headquarters of Lyme Regis Football Club on Charmouth Road, starts at
7pm and chairman of the Lifeboat Management Group Mark Houghton said:
“ This is the first
time we have invited the public to our meeting. We felt townspeople, in
particular, and visitors, would like to hear about the volunteer work of
the RNLI, meet members of the crew, the supporters group who organise
lifeboat week, the beach lifeguards the water safety team, the very
successful RNLI shop and our plans for the future.
“It will be an
opportunity to talk to representatives of all the groups and, of course,
we would like to hear from anyone who would like to join us volunteering
with the charity that saves lives at sea.”
The volunteer crew of
the lifeboat answered 47 calls for help during last year.
Refreshments will be
available throughout the meeting in the football club’s popular and
well-equipped clubhouse.
8th
January 2023
Lifeboat crew’s
first ‘shout’ of the New Year
The volunteer crew of
Lyme Regis’s lifeboat answered their first emergency call of the New Year
today (Sun) following reports of a surfer in difficulty off West Bay.
Coastguards stood the crew down shortly after launching when it was
established that the surfer was safely ashore.
30th
December 2022
Lifeboat launched to five ‘cut off by tide’
Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat was launched today following reports of people cut off by the
tide between Charmouth and Golden Cap.
The initial call from
coastguards was that two people were cut off, but later reports were that
the total was five.
The volunteer lifeboat
crew assisted coastguards ashore by keeping watch in choppy conditions
on those reportedly cut off until they were eventually helped to safety.
The lifeboat was
launched at 1.05pm and returned to Lyme Regis harbour an hour later. This
was the 47th call for help answered by the Lyme Regis RNLI
volunteers this year.
11th
December 2022
Lifeboat crew set sail for Christmas
Fifty members of the
crew of the Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat, their partners and friends tucked
into Christmas dinner at their annual party and awards night..
The event, at the
Harbour Inn, rounded off a year when the volunteer crew have so far
answered 46 calls for help.
Top award of the year
went to Jon Broome, who is the volunteer training co-ordinator responsible
for many exercises, and who is playing a key role in the trials of a new
training structure to be rolled out to the RNLI in the coming months.
A tongue-in-cheek
award – the bent propeller trophy- went to crew member Andy Butterfield.
11th
November 2022
Lifeboat launched
after ‘flares’ alert
The volunteer crew of
the RNLI’s lifeboat in Lyme Regis this evening
answered their 43rd emergency call so far this year after
reports that red flares had been seen between Lyme Regis and Seaton.
Solent coastguards
asked the crew to carry out a shoreline search but the lifeboat was stood
down when Beer-based coastguards ashore established that the ‘flares’
were, in fact, fireworks. The incident was a false alarm with good
intent.
The lifeboat crew
launched at 6.19pm and returned to Lyme Regis at 7.20pm.
4th
November 2022
Guest house owners raise £1,000 for the RNLI
The husband and wife
owners of an award winning B&B in Lyme Regis have presented almost £1,000
to the volunteers of the town’s lifeboat...thanks to the generosity of
their guests, which they then matched.
Lyn and Jason Martin
own Dorset House, and their guests were invited to add a pound to their
bill which the couple then matched.
They also own the Poco
Pizza house, close to the lifeboat station, and they intend to run a
similar fund-raising event for the RNLI there with a donation of one pound
for every ‘today’s special’ they serve.
They held a reception
at Poco Pizza last night (Nov. 3rd) for friends and business
colleagues and handed over the donation to Nick Marks, the RNLI’s
volunteer Water Safety Officer for the Lyme Regis area.
Mr Marks said the
lifeboat crew had answered 42 calls for help so far this year, and
announced that much of the donation would be used to send six of the
newest volunteer crew members on a vital radio training course at the Axe
Yacht Club.
20th
October 2022
RNLI volunteers make the difficult decision
to withdraw from the Charmouth
Christmas Day ‘dip’
RNLI volunteers have decided they can no longer
organise the Christmas Day fancy dress dip in the sea at Charmouth due to
the additional requirements needed to ensure the event can run safely.
Members of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth Lifeboat
Supporters reluctantly reached their decision after being informed of new
rules for such events introduced by the RNLI.
The event has been held every year for some fifty
years. Originally the dip was organised by residents of Charmouth. The
RNLI volunteers have been organising the event, raising funds for the
life-saving charity, for the past ten years.
Chairman of the lifeboat supporters group, Ken
Lavery, said: “It is with much sadness that we feel we cannot continue to
play the major role in organising the event.
“We understand this will be disappointing for many,
and the decision was not an easy one to make. The annual dip has been a
part of Charmouth Christmas tradition for many years, and as many of the
charity’s volunteers are local to Charmouth and the surrounding area, it
has been a huge part of their Christmas long before the RNLI became
involved.
“As a lifesaving organisation, the safety of
participants is paramount and the procedures required by the charity for
an event to be safely managed and properly insured include producing a
risk assessment, safety plans, and a formal registration system.
“The RNLI is not alone in requiring these safety
procedures to be in place for its organised mass participation events,
but unfortunately for the small group of volunteers involved with the Lyme
Regis and Charmouth Lifeboat Supporters, the amount of work needed to meet
these requirements has become too great, both in the run up to, but
especially on, Christmas Day itself
An RNLI spokesperson said: “We appreciate that people
will be disappointed by the decision, but the safety of participants is
essential and it is not felt the organisation can offer the level of
safety required. We would also like to give our dedicated volunteers the
opportunity to enjoy Christmas Day with their families.”
Ken Lavery added: “The supporters group are sad that
their fund-raising association with this long running event has come to an
end. However, our members felt they had no choice.
“We wish to give as much notice as possible to
everyone as we know how popular the Charmouth dip was and how disappointed
many spectators and participants will be.”
In recent years the Charmouth dip regularly raised
donations in the region of £2,000.
9th
October 2022
Lifeboat crew on lookout for new launch
authority
Volunteers responsible
for operating the RNLI lifeboat in Lyme Regis are looking for a new member
of the team who authorise the launch of the vessel in an emergency.
The role is Deputy
Launching Authority and the man or woman selected will be joining a team
of five who are on a duty rota for four days at a time when they can be
called 24 hours a day if coastguards request launch of the lifeboat.
Lifeboat Operations
Manager Mark Colley said: “The rota is very flexible because many people
have jobs and families so the duties can be tweaked on a regular basis.
“This is a very
important role and ideally we need someone living no more than five miles
from the lifeboat station. He or she needs to be a team player, a good
communicator with leadership skills and preferably some local maritime
knowledge.
“We have a very
sociable team of volunteers and everyone is regarded as a member of the
crew. We hold regular training sessions and there are plenty of social
events for crew and their families.”
Anyone interested in
applying should go to the Volunteering Opportunities - RNLI website for
full details of the role and how to apply. Applications close on December
18th.
4th
October 2022
Stormy Stan runs a
marathon personal best for RNLI
Lorry driver Simon
Marchant borrowed the RNLI mascot Stormy Stan’s outfit from Lyme Regis
lifeboat station to run a personal best time of 5hours 25mins in Sunday’s
London marathon.
Simon,43, from Willand.
Cullompton, last year completed the gruelling event in 5hours 37mins.
He is a former
volunteer crew member with the RNLI at Penarth and was running the
marathon in aid of the life-saving charity.
After finishing the
run, Simon said: “It was pretty hot in that outfit and I had to take the
very large head off a couple of times. But I found the marathon a little
easier this year having taken part last year and knowing what to expect.
Support from the crowd was a great help.”
Donations can still be
made on Simon’s justgiving page:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/stormystanmarathonman.
20th
September 2022
Carpenter Mark is
new Lyme Regis lifeboat chief
A 58 year old
carpenter, who was at the helm of the town’s RNLI lifeboat for 14 years,
has taken on the most senior volunteer role at Lyme Regis lifeboat
station.
Mark Colley is the new
Lifeboat Operations Manager (LOM) taking over from Nick Marks, 69, who
held the position for seven years and has retired in line with the RNLI’s
policy on age.
Mr. Marks officially
handed over his role at the lifeboat crew’s latest training session on
Sept 13.
Mr. Colley retired
from his role as a lifeboat helm at the age of 55 and became a Deputy
Launching Authority (DLA) in February last year. He has been a crew
member for 23 years.
He said: “It’s a new
challenge and one that I relish. It’s the pinnacle role at the lifeboat
station and I am delighted to have reached it. I have a hard act to
follow. Nick Marks has been running a very successful station for seven
years, and I have inherited a great team. I know they will all help me
settle into this vital role.”
Mr Marks said: “Whilst
I am sorry that I now have to retire from an operational role with the
Lyme Regis lifeboat, I am delighted that the RNLI has appointed Mark
Colley as my successor. Mark has a wealth of experience gained from more
than 20 years on the crew.
“I am not retiring
from the RNLI completely and will continue to volunteer as the Water
Safety Officer for the Lyme Regis area.
“In this role I will
be leading our team of Water Safety volunteers to give advice to children
and adults on the inherent dangers of the sea and help them enjoy their
coastal activities in the safest possible manner.”
19th
September 2022
Lifeboat launched to ‘overdue’ swimmer
The RNLI’s lifeboat in
Lyme Regis was launched yesterday (Sun) evening following reports of a
swimmer overdue from his swim between Seatown and Charmouth.
Shortly after
launching the lifeboat crew were stood down on hearing that the swimmer
was safe and well ashore.
This was the 41st
call answered by the Lyme Regis volunteers so far this year.
4th
September 2022
Jubilee medals
presented to lifeboat crew
Seventeen platinum jubilee medals were
presented to RNLI crew members when they held their summer party for
family and friends last night (Saturday) at the headquarters of Lyme Regis
Powerboat Club.
The medals were presented by the Mayor
Lyme Regis, Cllr. Michaela Ellis just five days before the town’s lifeboat
volunteers are due to feature in the BBC 2 series, Saving Lives Sea, which
is scheduled for 8pm next Thursday (Sept. 8th).
Throughout the RNLI
4,500 volunteers and frontline staff are receiving the medal in
recognition of the 65,886 lives saved by the charity during the Queen’s 70
years and her time as patron of the RNLI
29th
August 2022
Five rescued by Lyme
Regis lifeboat crew as dive boat breaks down
Five people aboard a
broken down dive boat were rescued today (Mon) by the volunteer crew of
the RNLI’s Lyme Regis lifeboat.
The dive boat – a
seven and a half metre RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) – suffered engine
failure one and a half miles off Lyme Regis Harbour.
The dive boat, which
was based in West Bay, was towed to the safety of the harbour there by the
lifeboat crew.
Solent coastguards
asked the Lyme Regis lifeboat crew to assist the dive boat at 12.41pm and
they returned, after successfully completing the call for help, at
3.20pm.
28th
August 2022
Cyclists and cafe’
owner raise £3, 500 for RNLI in memory of a friend
Five cyclists who rode
131 miles from the lifeboat station in Lyme Regis to the lifeboat station
in Newquay raised £3, 061 for the RNLI in memory of a friend.
Matthew Payne
organised the sponsored ride in memory of his best friend Adam Bounds who
died aged 41 following a brain haemorrhage.
Matthew, Rob Gage,
Andrew ‘Edder’ Gage, Alan Cockram and Dan Galloway set out on their
sponsored ride from Lyme Regis at 5a.m. on May 26 and arrived in Newquay
10hours and 34 minutes later.
They had hoped to
raise £1,000 but reached the grand total of more than £3,000 and presented
the donation to the volunteers of the RNLI in Lyme Regis today (Sun).
Matthew said “Adam
loved life and Lyme Regis and particularly Lifeboat Week. Another
favourite place for us to visit was Newquay which is why we chose these
locations which we enjoyed so much with Adam.”
A further donation of
£473 was raised by another of Adam’s friends, Jack Price, owner of the
Railway Kitchen cafe on Axminster train station. Adam was a Michael
Jackson fan so Jack organised a disco at Axminster Football Club to raise
the donation.
Jack said: “Adam was
the life and soul of the party and a very big Michael Jackson fan. But he
also loved Lifeboat Week and the RNLI. He would camp in Uplyme and walk
into Lyme Regis ever day of Lifeboat Week.”
27th August 2022
Lyme Regis
RNLI lifesavers feature in new series of Saving Lives at
Sea documentary
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)
volunteer crew in Lyme Regis will
feature in the brand new series of the popular BBC Two programme Saving
Lives at Sea on September 8th.
Featuring footage captured on helmet cameras, the primetime documentary
series lets viewers witness rescues through the eyes of the RNLI
lifesavers while meeting the people behind the pagers.
The popular 10-part
documentary is now in its seventh series and includes the lifesaving work
of RNLI lifeguards and volunteer lifeboat crews from around the UK and
Ireland. The series began on
Thursday 25 August at 8pm on BBC Two and will also be available on BBC
iPlayer following broadcast.
Including interviews with lifeboat crews and lifeguards, the series will
also hear from the rescuees and their families who are here to tell the
tale, thanks to the RNLI.
This forthcoming episode, on September 8th,
includes the rescue by the Lyme Regis volunteers of two anglers whose
fishing boat capsized at night near the mouth of the River Axe at Axmouth.
Other rescue stories from other RNLI stations and beaches around our
coasts also feature in the third episode of the documentary.
Lyme Regis
lifeboat helm Tim Edwards,
who will feature in the upcoming episode, said after the rescue: “Both men
were very lucky., but they were doing what the RNLI recommends in such
circumstances and were floating on their backs waiting for help to arrive.
‘Our lifesaving work would
not be possible without donations from the public and we are delighted to
be able to share in this documentary a frontline view of the rescues they
support with their kind generosity.”
In 2021, RNLI lifeboat
crews around the UK and Ireland aided 12,903 people, saving 296
lives, while the charity’s lifeguards aided 18,180 people and
saved 112 lives on some of the UK’s busiest beaches.
For more information please contact [Lyme Regis Lifeboat Press Officer
Richard Horobin on 07974268504)
Alternatively, call the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789 or email
pressoffice@rnli.org.uk.
20th
August 2022
Lifeboat called to
yacht ‘aground on rocks’
Lyme Regis’ RNLI
lifeboat crew were alerted last night (Fri) following reports of a 28ft
yacht with two men aboard that had run aground on rocks near the mouth of
the River Axe .The yacht, which was successfully afloat when the lifeboat
crew arrived on scene, was escorted to safety in Axmouth harbour.
The lifeboat launched
at 10.26pm and returned to Lyme Regis at half past midnight.
19th
August 2022
Lifeboat joins search for two overdue on
coast walk
The volunteer crew of
Lyme Regis lifeboat last night joined a widespread search for a 63 year
old man and his six year old grand-daughter reported overdue after setting
off on a walk from Charmouth.
The lifeboat crew
launched at 11.30pm and carried out shoreline searches from Charmouth to
West Bexington.
Coastguards, police
and the coastguard helicopter were also involved. It was later reported
that it seemed at some stage the pair had probably been given a lift to
Weymouth police station and were safe and well.
The lifeboat crew
returned to Lyme Regis at 1.50am.
August
8th 2022
Lifeboat in search
for ‘missing woman’
Lyme Regis’ RNLI
lifeboat was launched at 11.21pm last night when Solent coastguards asked
the volunteer crew to help in a search following reports of a missing
woman.
The lifeboat crew were
asked to carry out a shoreline search between Eype and West Bexington east
of Lyme Regis.
Later the woman was
found ashore by coastguards and the lifeboat crew returned to Lyme Regis
three minutes after midnight.
31st
July 2022
Lyme Regis Lifeboat
Week set to top £40,000
One of the most
popular summer events in Lyme Regis – the RNLI’s Lifeboat Week – is on
course to have raised more than £40,000.
As the week came to a
close the figure stood at £38,367. But treasurer for the
Lyme Regis and Charmouth Lifeboat Supporters, Brian Cursley, said he
expected a gross figure of about £43,000 when final receipts come in.
The week is organised
by the supporters group and members of the lifeboat crew.
Treasurer Brian
Cursley, who is still totting up the figures, said: “Considering the
situation in the country at the moment and the stress on peoples’ pockets
those who came to lifeboat week have been very generous. The total raised
for our life-saving charity is a tribute to our visitors and residents.”
And Ken Lavery,
chairman of the supporters group, said: “I would like to thank everyone
who helped to produce another fantastic lifeboat week. We had some new
events this year and Total Wipeout and Pirates Day were terrific. Everyone
seemed to enjoy all of our 42 events and, of course, there was a wonderful
display, watched by possibly thousands, by the army’s Red Devils free fall
parachute team.”
Among the many
successful events was the wine, water or snack tombola which raised a
stunning £6,200, the book stall with £3,000, the duck race raised £1,674
and the lifeboat crew barbecue and breakfast baps produced £1,600. The
produce stall received record donations of £1,057.
A quite amazing
coincidence in the duck race on the River Lym...the race is named after
Irene Roper, a stalwart organiser of lifeboat week who sadly died during
lifeboat week in 2018. The duck bought by Ed Roper, her grandson, won the
race whilst Ben Roper, a younger grandson, presented the prize for the duck
coming last.
30th
July2022
Lifeboat launched
after paragliding incident
Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat was launched today at 3.39pm following a paragliding incident
involving three people at Eype east of Lyme Regis.
The volunteer lifeboat
crew were stood down at 6.23pm after all three people were airlifted to
safety from the beach by the coastguard helicopter.
The lifeboat crew had
been asked to stand off while the rescue operation was carried out by the
coastguard helicopter. This was the 27th emergency call for the
lifeboat crew so far this year and the fourth during Lifeboat Week which
ended today.
July 28th
2022
Lifeboat launched to ‘capsized dinghy’
Lyme Regis lifeboat
launched at 6.12pm this evening following reports that a dinghy may have
capsized half a mile off Abbotsbury. It was later established that an
inflatable kayak had been washed ashore and that no people were involved.
This was the 26th emergency call to the Lyme Regis crew so far
this year and the third during the town’s Lifeboat Week.
July
28th 2022
Lifeboat crew rescue two in broken down
boat
The crew of the Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat were called out last night (Weds) – for the second time during
Lifeboat Week – to assist two men aboard a broken down 16ft fishing boat.
The boat had suffered electrical
failure half a mile off West Bay. The lifeboat crew towed the fishing
vessel to safety in West Bay harbour.
27th
July 2022
Poppy’s crab is a prize-winner
Poppy Stevens, aged 5,
called in at the lifeboat shop today (Weds) to collect a bag of goodies,
her prize for winning the crab fishing competition. Poppy, from Wells,
Somerset, caught a crab measuring a whopping 99mm to beat 71 other young
competitors. She was presented with her winnings by lifeboat crew member
Andrew Barker.
25th July
2022
Lyme Regis Lifeboat
Week Day 3, Ukrainian children are winners
A number of Ukrainian
children who are staying with families in Lyme Regis took part today in
the beach treasure hunt and the pavement art competition during the third
day of Lifeboat Week.
And Mariia, aged 7,won
the 5-7aged group in the pavement art competition. She has been in the
town for just two weeks and is pictured with Sharon Baxter from the
sponsors of the event, the Slipway shop.
Four youngsters from Ukraine took part in today’s events
24th
July 2022
Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week Day 2
Big crowds today
watched the ever-popular bathtub race at the start on the beach and at the
finish in Lyme Regis harbour.
This year’s winners
were members of the youth section of Lyme Regis Sailing Club.
Second place went to
the local firefighters and in third place – their highest position for a
number of years – were members of the crew of the RNLI lifeboat. Fourth
place went to Oscar’s Wine Bar and fifth were members of the 5th
Lym Valley Scouts.
July 23rd
2022
Isabelle gives up sweets to
donate to the RNLI
Eight years old
Isabelle Makepeace gave up one of her favourite indulgencies to raise a
donation for the RNLI on the first day of Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis.
She promised her
sponsors – adult family and friends – that she would not eat a sweet for
three weeks before Lifeboat Week.
Isabelle and her
family, from Luton, Beds. regularly come to Lyme Regis and they are
again spending the week in the town.
Today (Sat) she
presented £74 to husband and wife lifeboat crew members Brian and Joe
Street and told them: “We love coming to Lifeboat Week and I did not miss
eating sweets for three weeks. I raised my donation from adults because I
did not think it was fair to ask my young friends.”
Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week opened by Ukraine convoy leader
Lyme Regis Lifeboat
Week, which regularly raises some £40,000 for the lifesaving charity, was
officially opened today by local landlord Tom Littledyke who has taken
two convoys of aid to Ukraine and is currently planning a third.
Tom, 31, was
interviewed as part of the opening ceremony by former BBC TV South
reporter Chris Coneybeer and explained the dangers he and other volunteers
faced and the many types of humanitarian aid they took to the war zone.
A big crowd outside
the lifeboat station listened – and laughed – as he told of the convoy’s
mascot teddy bear which was attacked by some Ukrainians when he joked that
the bear’s nickname was Putin.
Tom, a pub landlord
who also runs a bar and Italian restaurant in Lyme Regis ,is also
employing three young Ukrainian refugees. He is marketing a beer called
Rescue to raise a donation for the RNLI. He arrived at the lifeboat
station in his tuk tuk vehicle accompanied by his partner Georgia.
After the opening
ceremony there was a welcome display involving the Lyme Regis lifeboat,
Spirit of Loch Fyne, and the Shannon class vessel from the RNLI station in
Exmouth.
Following that was the
swimming challenge for children and adults. Tomorrow’s events begin with a
breakfast at the lifeboat station at 9a.m. of a bacon bap and tea or
coffee prepared by lifeboat volunteers.
18th
July 2022
Lifeboat launched
to ‘paddleboarder in trouble’
Volunteers with the
RNLI in Lyme Regis launched their lifeboat at 6.10pm last night after
receiving a report of a paddleboarder in difficulties after falling off
his board 300-400m off Beer.
At 6.22pm the
paddleboarder was found safe and well on Beer beach having made his own
way ashore.
The lifeboat crew
returned to Lyme Regis at 6.40pm.
17th
July 2022
Lyme Regis lifeboat operations chief to
retire
The man at the helm of
lifeboat operations in Lyme Regis, Nick Marks, is stepping down after
seven years in the role.
Mr. Marks, 69, is
retiring from the role in line with RNLI’s policy on age retirement.
His volunteer position
as Lifeboat Operations Manager is the senior role at the lifeboat station
and he is responsible for the safe and efficient running of the lifeboat’s
24/7 life-saving service.
Mr. Marks, a qualified
yachtmaster and retired Royal Navy Captain, said: “I have thoroughly
enjoyed my stint and am only stepping down to make way for someone a bit
younger.
“ During my time we
have seen many changes in the way the RNLI expects the station to be run
and how the crew is trained.
“But what has not
changed is the selfless dedication of our volunteer crew and their
willingness to answer the call at any time of night or day and in any
weather.
“I am particularly
proud of the fact that the lifeboat has never failed to respond to a call
for help because of a lack of crew or failure of equipment or procedures,
even during the pandemic.
“I am also proud that
as a crew we are more diverse. When I joined we had no female crew
members. Today we have three.”
Mr. Marks will not be
leaving the RNLI and will lead the Water Safety team in the area.
The Lifeboat
Operations Manager role is advertised on the RNLI website at
www.rnli.org.uk/volunteering/volunteeringopportunities/Lyme
Regis. Applications close on August 21st.
Mr. Marks added:”The
role would suit someone with maritime and managerial experience who lives
within a few miles of the lifeboat station and who is able to devote time
and energy to ensuring that the crew, lifeboat, and station are fully
prepared to meet the demands of any rescue.
15th
July 2022
Lifeboat launched
to ‘missing paddleboarder’
Lyme Regis lifeboat
was launched at 8.45 last night (Fri) following a report that a 14 year
old paddleboarder was missing in the West Bay harbour area.
Coastguards asked the
volunteer lifeboat crew to conduct a shoreline search, but at 8.55pm the
crew were stood down when the youth was found safe and well ashore. The
lifeboat crew returned to Lyme Regis at 9.12pm
13th
July 2022
Lifeboat crew play
cricket for cancer patient Emma
A cricket match
between the crew of the Lyme Regis lifeboat and members of the Uplyme and
Lyme Regis club will raise funds for the wife of a lifeboat crew member
battling bowel cancer.
The match will be
played on July 22nd on the eve of Lifeboat Week starting at 6pm
at Uplyme .
Emma Broome, whose
husband Jon is a long-serving member of the RNLI crew, now needs a special
drug not available on the NHS and costing £1,000 a month.
Live music, a barbecue
and raffle are all planned for the evening.
Donations can be made
to
www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-emma-to-spend-more-time-with-her-family
Landlord Tom, leading convoys to Ukraine,
to open Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week
Pub
landlord Tom Littledyke is taking time off from leading convoys of aid to
Ukraine to support another charity saving lives as he opens this year’s
Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis. Tom will be interviewed by former BBC TV
reporter Chris Coneybeer as part of the opening ceremony at 1.30pm on
July 23rd outside the lifeboat station.
Tom,
31, runs the Shave Cross Cellar bar and Antonio’s Italian taverna in Lyme
Regis and is also landlord of the Shave Cross Inn, a country pub near
Bridport.
Since
the war began, he has twice driven the 1,300 miles to Ukraine in an old
mini bus loaded with humanitarian aid at the head of a convoy of
volunteers. His partner, Georgia Wellman, 21, plays a vital administrative
role overseeing donations and organising the convoys. He and Georgia have
now helped to organise at least seven convoys, and there are plans to buy
a ‘safe house’ on the borders of Poland and Ukraine for refugees using
some of the generous donations to Tom’s just-giving site.
Tom, a
former Royal Marine Reservist, who went to the Woodroffe School in Lyme
Regis, speaks of his terrifying and heartbreaking experiences and says he
is proud of the response of people in his home town to his appeals for
aid. “The town really came together, and the generosity of the people of
Lyme and district has been fantastic,” said Tom.
Donations to the convoys included huge supplies of non-lethal military
equipment, radios, armour, warm clothing, blankets and medical items.
Apart
from the donations of materials, a highly successful online appeal led by
Tom and Georgia raised well over £25,000 to provide further supplies and
aid. Donations can still be made at https://www.just-giving.com/crowdfunding/thomas-littledyke.
In recent months Tom and his team have also received donations of
vehicles including an ambulance a 7.5 ton lorry and another mini bus.
Tom’s
mini bus broke down several times during the journeys, and their lucky
mascot teddy bear strapped to the front bumper also had a difficult trip.
“He got a very angry reception from some of the Ukrainians,” said Tom, “but
that may have been because we told people his name was Putin.”
11th
July 2022
Life’s a big puzzle
for RNLI pair
Sylvia Rickard and her
son John have found life somewhat puzzling this year as they prepare for
Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis.
Between them they have
finished dozens of jigsaws, checking that all the pieces are there before
they go on sale to raise funds for the lifeboat charity.
They started their
task in January. Sylvia, who volunteers in the RNLI shop, said: “I have
always loved jigsaws, but it can be a little frustrating when you have
almost completed 1,500 pieces and you discover one piece of a donated
puzzle is missing.”
Last year, Sylvia and
John did a 4,000 piece puzzle...and it was complete.
John, vice chairman of
the Lyme Regis and Charmouth Lifeboat Supporters, also organises thousands
of donated books and those and the jigsaws will be on sale in the lifeboat
station throughout Lifeboat Week which starts on July 23rd.
Any unchecked puzzles
will be £2 and checked and complete puzzles £4.
10th
July 2022
Yacht artist Jess
presents a Lifeboat Week gift to her local crew
Well-known yacht
artist Jess Douglas has presented her latest work to the crew of the
RNLI’s lifeboat in Lyme Regis as a gift for Lifeboat Week which starts on
July 23rd.
Jess, a professional
artist, has painted well over 600 boats of all sizes from small fishing
vessels and trawlers to 120m luxury superyachts for owners all over the
world.
Working in acrylic,
she has now produced a painting of the Lyme Regis lifeboat Spirit of Loch
Fyne sailing at speed on a background of the navigational chart of the
Lyme Bay area.
Jess, who was a
volunteer coastguard in Lyme for nine years, presented the work to members
of the crew today (Sun), and said: “Since I have spent much of my life in
Lyme I felt it was time I gave a present to my RNLI friends just in time
for Lifeboat Week.”
Jess, a powerboat
instructor and boat owner, now lives in Axminster.
July 7th
2022
Lifeboat crew
rescue one person aboard broken down boat
One person aboard a
broken down 18’ leisure fishing boat was towed to safety today (Thursday)
by the volunteer crew of Lyme Regis’ RNLI lifeboat.
The boat developed
engine failure near Thorncombe Beacon, between West Bay and Golden Cap.
The RNLI crew towed
the casualty vessel into West Bay harbour.
The lifeboat crew
launched at 8.25pm and returned to Lyme Regis lifeboat station 9.30pm.
22nd June
2022
Theatre collections
raise funds for RNLI
Collections during
performances of a community play at the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis
raised £250 for the RNLI in the town.
David Ruffle, who
helped to put on the production, Lyme and the Sea, presented the donation
to lifeboat crew member Maria Barbashina during last evening’s (Tues)
training session at the lifeboat station.
19th
June 2022
Lifeboat launched to ‘upturned boat’
The volunteer crew of
the RNLI lifeboat based in Lyme Regis launched yesterday (Sat) evening
following a report of an ‘upturned small boat’ in the Golden Cap area.
The lifeboat crew and
a coastguard helicopter searched the area but nothing was found and both
were stood down as dusk approached.
Solent coastguards
requested the lifeboat to launch at 5.10pm
and the crew were at sea for two and
a half hours carrying out an extensive search.
18th
June 2022
Two exhausted
paddlers rescued by Lyme Regis RNLI crew
Two men who were
exhausted trying to paddle their broken down 3metre inflatable
boat were rescued by the volunteer crew of Lyme Regis lifeboat yesterday
evening.
The men, whose
outboard motor had failed, were attempting to paddle from Seaton to
Sidmouth from where they had set off earlier.
They were said to be
exhausted and soaking wet when the Lyme Regis RNLI crew arrived on scene.
The two men were taken
aboard the Lyme Regis lifeboat which then towed the inflatable boat back
to Sidmouth.
The men were handed
over to the crew of the smaller independent Sidmouth lifeboat and taken to
safety ashore.
The Lyme Regis
lifeboat launched at 6.25pm and returned at 8.30pm.
23rd
May 2022
Lyme Regis
welcomes the return of its RNLI lifeboat
The volunteer crew of
the RNLI lifeboat in Lyme Regis welcomed the return to the town of their
lifeboat today (Mon) after a four month major refit.
The Spirit of Loch
Fyne arrived by road on a trailer after the RNLI carried out the refit at
its workshops in Cowes on the Isle of Wight.
Since January the crew
have operated a similar vessel named Dylan Rotchell,
Spirit of Loch Fyne
has been on round the clock duty in Lyme Regis since 2012.
Nick Marks, volunteer
lifeboat operations manager said:”We are delighted to see our boat back in
Lyme Regis but the relief vessel served us well for four months.”
19th
May 2022
Lifeboat launched
to ‘objects’ in the sea
The volunteers of the
RNLI lifeboat in Lyme Regis launched at 10.19a.m. today (Thurs) following
reports of ‘objects’ in the sea a quarter of a mile offshore near Golden
Cap.
After a search, with
the help of coastguards ashore, the lifeboat crew found what appeared to
be a floating sleeper and tree debris. Solent coastguards stood the
lifeboat crew down at 11.05 and they returned to Lyme Regis harbour at
11.20.
May 9th
2022
All welcome at
Blessing of the Boats
The traditional
Blessing of the Boats service in Lyme Regis is being held at 3pm on Sunday
May 22nd.
The service is hosted
by the RNLI and as usual will be held at the lifeboat station on the Cobb.
The service welcomes
everyone and will be conducted by the Rev Chris Martin assisted by Alan
Vian, from Lyme Regis Baptist Church. The local gig club will provide an
escort, leading the lifeboat crew out of the harbour to lay wreaths at
sea.
Coastguards, Lyme
Regis Sailing Club,, the Sea School, the Boat Building Academy, the
Powerboat Club and the Royal British Legion will all be represented.
8th May
2022
How the Lyme Regis
RNLI lifeboat crew rescued a ‘silent’ sailor
The rescue by the crew
of the Lyme Regis lifeboat of a sailor who is deaf and unable to use his
boat radio because he has no voice has been praised by the man’s family.
Justin Paull, 52, from
Bridport, was eight miles west of Wyke Regis on Thursday (May 5th)
when his 5m fishing boat, Sally Ann, suffered engine failure.
He was able to text
the word ‘emergency’ to his sister, Janine Paull-Sellick who made a video
call in BSL (British Sign Language) so that Justin could explain that both
his main engine and his spare had failed.
Janine called the
coastguard, explained Justin’s problems, and they alerted the RNLI
volunteers in Lyme Regis.
Lifeboat crew member
Rich Tilley boarded Justin’s boat and using white marker boards and a pen
wrote questions and drew diagrams telling Justin what was happening.
“We had been briefed
about Justin before launching,” said Rich “so I thought we should take
the boards to write messages for him. I wrote questions such are you fit
and well and explained how we were going to tow his boat for about an hour
to the safety of West Bay harbour. He was pleased to see us and even took
a selfie with me.”
Justin’s sister,
Janine said: “I can’t find words enough to thank the lifeboat crew. They
were just brilliant.
“From a young age
Justin found a love for the sea. It has always been his meditation, his
place to go to switch off from the world and his daily challenges. He has
never feared the ocean, just loved it. However, as his loved ones. we have
always worried about it. But nevertheless we support his passion for the
sea.
“He has all the up to
date technology and takes every safety measure. He always lets the family
know when he is going out on his boat and when he will arrive back. And
the harbourmaster and his team always keep an eye out for him. He has
amazing support from the community.”
Justin, who is
chairman of Bridport Deaf Club, made a video in sign language explaining
his problems. He signed: “I went to use my second engine but the bracket
failed and snapped and the engine fell into the sea. I had a huge struggle
to get it back. I cannot believe it. It is the first time in my life that
this has happened. I am in shock, it’s terrible my boat is well prepared
for emergencies, but the emergency back-up has failed.”
The rescue operation
began at 12.40pm when the lifeboat was launched. After towing Justin’s
boat into West Bay harbour the lifeboat crew returned to Lyme Regis at
3.15pm
The rescue of Justin,
which happened in the middle of Deaf Awareness Week, was the 9th emergency
call answered by the Lyme Regis lifeboat volunteers so far this year.
RNLI appeal for
face-to-face fundraisers
An appeal for
face-to-face fundraisers for the RNLI has been launched in the Lyme Regis
area.
The role involves
talking to the public, inspiring them to become financial supporters and
educating them about water safety.
The appeal has been
launched by Petrina Muscroft, senior face-to-face fundraiser for the RNLI
who is based in Lyme Regis but who is responsible for fundraising in South
Devon, West Dorset and Somerset.
Petrina, who is also
the volunteer visits officer at Lyme Regis lifeboat station and a member
of the shore crew, said:” Members of the face-to-face teams receive a
salary and can be full time or part time with flexible hours available all
year round.
“The RNLI has a paid
workforce of only 5% with 95% volunteers so the face- to- face role is
vital in raising funds for the charity whose aim is to save lives at sea.”
Anyone interested can
contact Petrina on 07812 469423 or
petrina_muscroft@rnli.org.uk
or go to
www.rnli.org.uk/f2f.
5th
May 2022
Lone fisherman
rescued by Lyme Regis lifeboat crew after engine failure
A lone fisherman was
rescued by the volunteer crew of the Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat today when
his 5m vessel suffered engine failure.
The man was fishing
six miles west of Wyke Regis when he raised the alarm.
The lifeboat crew
launched at 12.40pm and towed the broken down fishing boat into West Bay
harbour returning to Lyme Regis at 3. 15pm.
28th
April 2022
Kyle
is now all at sea with the Lyme Regis lifeboat
One of the youngest
volunteers at the RNLI lifeboat station in Lyme Regis has just completed
three years of training to become a fully qualified sea-going crew member.
Kyle Knight, 27, was a
‘guinea pig’ when the Lyme Regis station was chosen to trial a new
competency scheme for lifeboat crew. He joined the crew in 2019 but his
training was interrupted by lockdown.
The station’s
volunteer training co-ordinator Jon Broome said: “Kyle was a model
student, and as a guinea pig in the new training system he passed every
assessment of his skills first time.”
Lyme-born Kyle
recently left the town council, where he had been a maintenance operative
for nine years. and is now a trainee plumber.
He said: ”I have
always enjoyed fishing, I love the sea and I feel it is so rewarding to be
helping people in all sorts of trouble around the coast.”
Kyle’s training
involved achieving many skills including towing, anchoring, chart
plotting, use of radar and navigating.
19th
April 2022
Busy Easter weekend for Lyme Regis Lifeboat
crew
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched on Saturday April 16th
and twice yesterday (Monday 18th April) to assist coastguards
ashore following reports of people cut off by the tide near Charmouth and
a person in the water near West Bexington. In addition, volunteers
assisted with the bank holiday duck race!
On Saturday, the lifeboat crew launched at 1.30pm and were quickly on
scene. The casualties were attempting to walk between Charmouth and Lyme
Regis. One lifeboat crew member swam ashore and they were able to walk
safely back to Charmouth. In addition, there were two people stuck in the
shale mud landslides below the cliffs between Charmouth and Golden Cap.
Another of the volunteer crew swam ashore to help. They waited for the
lifeboat to return with additional crew and using the inflatable x-boat
were able to ferry the casualties to the main lifeboat. They were then
returned to Charmouth where they were greeted by the local coastguard
team.
The two people rescued were from Birmingham visiting the area for the day.
One said: “We are so thankful to everyone involved with rescuing us today
and we’re ever so sorry for the inconvenience”
Yesterday, the lifeboat launched to a person in the water near West
Bexington but the coastguard helicopter arrived just before the lifeboat
and they winched the man to the helicopter took him to Dorchester
Hospital. Other members of the volunteer crew assisted the Easter duck
race along the river Lym where about 1100 ducks were floated This was to
raise money for the town’s Christmas Lights.
Nick Marks, Lifeboat Operations Manager said “We would encourage any
visitor to the area to check tide times before walking along the beach,
either at Lyme Regis Tourist Information Centre or Charmouth Heritage
Coast Centre. This half term week the local area is experiencing very high
tides, so it is very important to check.”
If you see anyone in trouble in the sea, call 999 and ask for the
coastguard.
7th April
2022
`Lifeboat Week
volunteers promise new events after record breaking year'
More events – old
favourites and new highlights – were promised for this year’s Lifeboat
Week when the Lyme Regis and Charmouth Lifeboat Supporters held their
annual meeting last night (Weds).
Chairman of the
supporters Ken Lavery praised the work of all volunteers and said more
would be welcome to help during the week which begins on July 23rd.
And treasurer Brian
Cursley reported that the past year had been a record breaker with gross
profits from the RNLI shop next to the lifeboat station and funds raised
through all forms of donations, including Lifeboat Week, totalling
£199,000 for the life-saving charity.
The shop’s volunteer
manager Krys Lavery said that at the end of November the outlet was the
top performing shop throughout the RNLI.
Lifeboat Operations
Manager Nick Marks told the meeting that since the last AGM the lifeboat
had launched 104 times on service, assisted 58 people and had been
credited with saving five lives. The crew had also launched 102 times on
exercise, and volunteers had spent more than 1600 crew hours at sea.
Mr Marks said the
pandemic had a major impact on all activities at the lifeboat station.
There had been a few number of COVID cases among the crew but they did not
impact on the ability to launch. He said this was a major achievement of
which the crew could be proud.
A special long-service
award was made to husband and wife team Denis and Gwyneth Barker who
volunteered in the RNLI shop from 2005 and on the supporters committee
from 2006. Their roles included regularly retrieving 70 collection boxes
around the town. Denis, aged 90, and Gwyneth, 82, were also responsible
for counting all donations during Lifeboat Week.
23rd
February 2022
Lyme Regis lifeboat station re-opens to visitors
The RNLI’s lifeboat
station on the Cobb in Lyme Regis is to open its doors to visitors once
again after being closed for almost two years because of COVID
restrictions.
The station will open
at 9am on Saturday and visitors will be asked to wear a face covering.
The station’s
volunteer lifeboat operations manager Nick Marks said: ”We are delighted
to welcome visitors once again and we would like to thank our supporters
for their forbearance during almost two years.
“Visitors will be able
to see the lifeboat from the viewing platform, but we would kindly ask
them to treat the station like a shop and wear a face covering.”
6th
February 2022
Lifeboat launched
to paddle boarder ‘in distress’
The volunteer crew of the RNLI lifeboat in Lyme Regis were alerted at 3pm
today (Sunday) after reports of a paddle boarder in distress off
Charmouth.
When the lifeboat
crew reached the paddle boarder he was found to be in no difficulty and
the incident was recorded as a false alarm with good intent.
February 6th 2022
Gig club rower conquers the
Atlantic and presents RNLI with £3,005
A member of Lyme Regis
Gig Club has returned to the town after rowing the Atlantic and today
(Sun) presented the RNLI with a donation of £3,005 raised during his epic
voyage.
Neil Wittridge,61, was
a member of a 12-strong crew setting out from Tenerife on December 5th
to row 3,000 miles to Antigua.
They arrived 41 days 4
hours and 18minutes later.
Neil, a member of the
Lyme Regis Gig Club for ten years, recalled seeing whales, flying fish
and tuna leaping out of the water.
“It was a terrific
experience,” he said. “I feel a lot fitter now than when I started. We
were rowing three hours on with three hours off.
“It was no walk in the
park and I struggled with confinement. We had a small cabin and at any one
time there were three of us in there trying to rest and get ready to row.
And of course it was getting hotter all the time we were getting nearer
Antigua.”
Neil, a project
manager, said lifetime friendships had been forged during the voyage.
“None of us knew each
other at the start,”
Neil’s boat, Roxy, was
11.36m in length with a beam of 1.6m. The skipper was the only woman
aboard, Lizzie Brown, a retired helm with the RNLI lifeboat crew at
Burnham on Crouch, Essex.
February
1st 2022
Lyme Regis RNLI takes delivery of a new lifeboat
Volunteers who operate the RNLI
lifeboat in Lyme Regis yesterday(Monday) took delivery of a new lifeboat.
But it will only be on duty from the town’s lifeboat station for a few
weeks while their permanent vessel, Spirit of Loch Fyne, undergoes a
routine refit.
The replacement boat, named Dylan
Rotchell, is brand new and was immediately trialled by the Lyme Regis
crew.
Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks
said: “The crew were very happy with the replacement vessel, and while our
permanent boat is away we will continue to operate our 24/7 service. It
was a very smooth transfer.”
Spirit of Loch Fyne has been on duty
In Lyme Regis since 2012. Its last refit was in 2017. It is expected the
current refit, at the RNLI’s Inshore Lifeboat Centre in the Isle of Wight,
will last about six weeks.
January
2022
Three new New Year
recruits for Lyme Regis RNLI
An aqua therapist, a primary school
teacher and an IT company boss have all celebrated the New Year by
becoming the latest volunteer recruits at the RNLI lifeboat station in
Lyme Regis.
Joe Street, 44, a mother of
three, runs aqua therapy sessions in Axminster. She joins husband Brian
who has been a crew member for 24 years.
She said: “I have wanted to join the
crew for many years,” and I am delighted to have made it at last.” Husband
Brian added his pleasure: “We now have three women crew members and that
can only be a healthy development. I am very pleased for Joe.”
Cris Cadby,51, has joined
the volunteer management ranks at the lifeboat station as a DLA – Deputy
Launching Authority. He runs an educational IT company with 60 staff
serving 500 schools throughout the UK.
Formerly a commercial fisherman in the
Isles of Scilly, he had to call the RNLI twice when his boat developed
engine trouble.
“I have a lot of respect for the RNLI
volunteers and I am very pleased to be joining them,” said Cris.
The third new recruit, Andrew Barker,
42, is a primary school teacher at Sidbury, Devon. “I have always loved
the sea,” he said “and I hope to become a sea-going crew member after the
necessary training.
3rd
January 2022
Lyme Regis
RNLI lifeboat launched to four people and two dogs cut off by tide
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat crew launched Sunday afternoon
(2nd) at 5.05pm following reports of two groups of walkers cut off by the
tide west of Lyme Regis between the end of Monmouth beach and Pinhay Bay.
The volunteer lifeboat crew conducted a shoreline search
and located the groups which were split into a group of three with a dog
and a single person with a dog. Due to the location and the adverse sea
conditions, the boat was unable to put anyone ashore or recover the
casualties by sea or shore. A helicopter was requested, the nearest
available was a Coastguard helicopter from Newquay. The lifeboat crew were
able to communicate to the casualties ashore to make sure they did not
attempt to climb the mud shale cliffs above.
The Coastguard helicopter, a Sikorsky S-92 Search and
Rescue aircraft winched the first individual with Finzi the Springer
spaniel. The helicopter then travelled 500m west to the couple with their
son and Billie the Beagle. Once they were winched to safety the helicopter
landed on Monmouth beach. The casualties then went to the lifeboat
station to warm up and recover.
Seb Cope, Helm for the lifeboat said “There have been a
number of landslides recently east and west of Lyme Regis which has
dramatically reduced the size of the beach, particularly during the high
spring tides that we are currently experiencing. We hope that people check
tide times and if they are in trouble, call 999 and ask for the
coastguard.”
The lifeboat volunteers returned to Lyme Regis harbour at
7.00pm.
Some 2021 Shouts
1
January 2022
Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat crew launch two hours before midnight on New Year’s Eve
The volunteer crew of Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat went to sea two hours before midnight on New Year’s Eve following
reports of a man missing in the Charmouth area.
After a thorough shoreline search from
Lyme Regis to Charmouth and Golden Cap nothing was found and the man was
reported by police to be at his home address.
The lifeboat crew launched at 10.04pm
and returned to Lyme Regis harbour at 11.20pm.
Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks
said “Our crew launched just two hours before midnight, and I thank our
volunteers for their dedication.
“ Fortunately the outcome seems to
have been a good one and everyone got home just in time to celebrate the
arrival of a new year.” The lifeboat crew were assisting
coastguards ashore and the police.
This latest emergency call to the Lyme
Regis RNLI crew was the 35th in 2021.
December 7th
2021
Barbara, 81, ends her ‘cycle ride’ to John
O’Groats
The grandmother who
started a virtual ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats on her exercise
bike has completed the journey after four months.
Mrs Barbara Townsend,
81, from Axminster started the 874 mile journey in her back garden in
August and raised £1,649 for the RNLI on her justgiving page.
Mrs Townsend, who has
seven grandchildren, was a keen sailor crossing the Atlantic three times
with husband David.
She said: “I
thoroughly enjoyed my cycling, but I am selling the exercise bike now and
will add the proceeds to my total.
“I think the RNLI does
a fantastic job and fortunately we never had to call them when we sailing.
It was just comforting to know they were always there.”
Donations can still be
made to https//www.justgiving.com/fundraisingBarbara-Townsend
December
6th 2021
Lyme Regis lifeboat recruits face their
first Christmas on call
Lifeboat volunteers
throughout the south west will be on duty this festive season ready to
launch and answer the call for help from anyone in trouble at sea.
For many RNLI
volunteers this will be their first Christmas carrying a pager to alert
them to the need to launch the lifeboat.
In Lyme Regis two new
recruits, Giles Bristow and Maria Barbashina are preparing for their
first Christmas on call with the rest of the crew.
Giles, father to twin
9 year old girls, moved with his family down from London and joined the
crew in May this year. He says: “It’s all about being part of the
community here and having what I feel is an important role to play. Of
course, at Christmas the downside would be a call on the big day, but the
upside would be answering that call and playing that important role in the
community. The girls are very sweet about my lifeboat involvement and
never hesitate to put their pennies in their money boxes for the RNLI
charity.”
Maria, an artist,
originally from Russia, said: ”I am looking forward to Christmas, of
course, but if the pager goes off I will just run. It’s simply instinct. I
drop whatever I am doing and get to the lifeboat station in the quickest
and safest way, and the safest way is often a sprint along the seafront.
The only exception I can think of is if I am in the shower covered in soap
when the pager goes off, then it may take a little longer. But that has
not happened….yet.”
Giles and Maria
recently completed their emergency procedure course at the RNLI’s
headquarters in Poole and are now trainee sea-going crew with the Lyme
Regis lifeboat.
November
14th 2021
Three saved as fishing boat capsizes
Two men were rescued
from the sea by the volunteer RNLI crew of the Lyme Regis lifeboat last
night (Sun)after their 15 ft fishing boat capsized near the mouth of the
River Axe at Axmouth.
A third man managed to
reach the shore, but the other two were found floating on their backs and
were plucked to safety by two members of the lifeboat crew who went into
the water to reach them.
One of the two men was
airlifted from the lifeboat by the coastguard helicopter and taken to
hospital in Dorchester suffering from the cold.
The second man was
taken ashore by the lifeboat crew and is thought to have been taken to
hospital in Exeter.
One man using a torch
was spotted in the water by coastguards from Beer and Lyme Regis who were
communicating with the lifeboat from the shore, and the other was found
thanks to searchlights from the helicopter.
The two lifeboat crew
who recovered the men from the sea were Andy Butterfield and Rich Tilley.
Lifeboat helm Tim
Edwards said: “The men were very lucky, but they were doing what the RNLI
recommends and floating on their backs waiting for help to arrive.”
The lifeboat crew were
alerted at 4.59pm and launched seven minutes later. They returned to Lyme
Regis at 7pm after two hours at sea.
The capsized fishing
boat was towed to Beer by the crew of the independent Sidmouth lifeboat.
November
4th 2021
Rifles march
boosts lifeboat funds
A sponsored 50 mile
march by some 200 ex-servicemen and women raised £1,200 for the RNLI in
Lyme Regis.
The march, last
September, started at Lulworth Cove and finished at the Lyme Regis
lifeboat station.
One of the organisers
of the march, Richard Davey. today presented a cheque for £1,271 to
lifeboat operations manager Nick Marks.
The march was in aid
of the Rifles Regimental Trust’s Care for Casualties and it’s hoped the
final total for the sponsored event will reach £100,000. The marchers
carried RNLI collection buckets to raise additional funds for the
life-saving charity.
November
4th 2021
Lifeboat supporters
hear of financial success
A financial success
despite Covid -19 restrictions was the key message to members of the Lyme
Regis and Charmouth Lifeboat Supporters group at their Extraordinary
General Meeting last night (Weds).
The meeting heard from
treasurer Brian Cursley that Lifeboat Week was a success and after
expenses a total of £36,213 was raised and sent to RNLI headquarters in
Poole. And the manager of the tiny RNLI shop next to the lifeboat station,
Krys Lavery, reported that it had recently been the most successful such
RNLI outlet in the country.
Volunteer Lifeboat
Operations Manager Nick Marks said that since the last annual meeting of
the supporters in 2019 the lifeboat had been launched 93 times, assisting
52 people and saving two lives. In addition the lifeboat had launched 75
times on training exercises with the crew spending a total of 1,500 hours
at sea.
Mr. Marks reported
that not once had the crew lost the ability to provide a rescue service
during the Covid crisis.
Supporters chairman
Ken Lavery, reporting on the success of Lifeboat Week, praised the
involvement of all volunteers including the lifeboat crew and the
introduction of innovative measures such as a special app and a live
streaming of the duck race. He said that many people had appreciated the
fact that a ‘normal’ lifeboat week had been possible.
Guest speaker was Jim
Thomas, former geography teacher at Woodroffe School, who served for many
years with the lifeboat crew from 1980 and later with local coastguards.
He spoke of many
incidents he dealt with and how one, in particular, the deaths of four
young canoeists in 1993, had ‘a real impact on me.’ Mr Thomas said he had
now retired after 42 years responding to his pager.
November 1st
2021
Winter warning as
lifeboat crew answer two alerts
With high winds and choppy seas
expected over the winter period the RNLI in Lyme Regis has urged visitors
to the coast to take extra care in and near the water.
The warning followed two calls for
help to the lifeboat volunteers yesterday (Sun).
The first followed a report at 9.30am
that a surfer was missing in strong winds and rough conditions after
entering the water from Monmouth beach. The 24 year old man had not been
seen for 30 minutes when the alarm was raised.
The lifeboat crew were already at sea
on a training exercise and searched east and west of the harbour but found
no trace of the man. RNLI shore crew and coastguards also searched the
beaches. The surfer was eventually found on town beach and taken to
hospital for observation.
Later in the day, at 3pm, the lifeboat
was launched after a report that two people had been been swept off the
Cobb high wall. In conjunction with coastguards ashore the lifeboat crew
searched around the Cobb area but no-one was found and the search was
called off at 3.40pm.
The RNLI’s volunteer operations
manager in Lyme Regis, Nick Marks, said: “Conditions were rough all day
and these two calls demonstrate the need for people to be alert to the
dangers and to take great care in and around the water at this time of
year.”
“Only minutes after our second shout
people were seen walking on the Cobb wall in high winds and with the sea
breaking over it. They seemed oblivious to the danger they were in.”
October
6th 2021
Lyme Regis RNLI
seeks new life-saving volunteers
The team at RNLI Lyme Regis is calling
for new volunteers to help them save lives at sea.
In particular the charity is looking
for sea - going crew for the inshore lifeboat, Spirit of Loch Fyne, based
at the lifeboat station on the Cobb.
So far this year the lifeboat crew
have answered 28 calls for help.
The lifeboat normally has a crew of
four at sea, and the station’s Operations Manager Nick Marks is now
looking for additional volunteers to further enhance availability for
emergency calls.
Sea-going crew members need to be on
call for ‘shouts,’ should enjoy being a team player, have a good standard
of general fitness and live or work within five minutes of the lifeboat
station. Lifeboat crew are aged between 17 and 55. First class training
is provided and the ability to learn new skills is important.
Mr. Marks said: “Volunteering with us
gives people the opportunity to make a real difference in their local
community, to save lives and become part of the larger RNLI family.
“We can’t keep people safe without the
support of our dedicated volunteers who truly make a difference every day
no matter which role they are fulfilling.”
To find out more potential volunteers
can go to
www.rnli.org/volroles,
contact the volunteering team on 01202 663346, or e-mail
volunteering@rnli.org.uk
.
4th
October 2021
Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat launched to five people and a dog cut off by tide
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat crew launched
yesterday afternoon at 4.45pm following reports of a group of walkers cut
off by the tide east of West Bay towards Freshwater beach.
The volunteer lifeboat crew conducted
a shoreline search and located the group and guided the local coastguard
team to their position where the group were advised about the tide times. The lifeboat volunteers returned to
Lyme Regis harbour at 6.15pm.
September
19th 2021
Rifles regiment
honour the fallen in 50 mile march to Lyme Regis
Some 200 men and women – many of them
ex-servicemen and women – marched into Lyme Regis today at the end
of a 50 mile sponsored walk to raise funds for the Rifles Regimental
Trust’s Care for Casualties.
The walk started at Lulworth Cove on
Friday and ended at the RNLI lifeboat station on the Cobb after a march
two abreast with bugles along the Cart Road on Lyme Regis seafront.
It’s hoped the Jurassic March,
honouring 56 men from the regiment who died for their country, will raise
£100,000 for the Rifles charity.
The marchers also raised funds for the
RNLI, carrying 20 collection buckets en route which were presented to
Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks during a welcome ceremony.
He congratulated the marchers and
thanked them for their donations which he said had helped the RNLI to
launch lifeboats on rescue missions 87 times since they started their
march on Friday.
The marchers carried with them 56
pairs of boots representing the numbers of those colleagues lost since
2007.
September
7th 2021
Lifeboat crew
assist coastguard with two people and dog stuck in the mud
Two people and a dog were stuck in the
mud near Thorncombe beacon between Eype and Seatown beach. Lyme Regis
lifeboat launched at 1.25pm to assist the local coastguard teams with
shoreline searches and looking for the missing dog.
The two people managed to free
themselves from the mud and were fine and well.
While at sea, the lifeboat was tasked
again to two paddleboarders that were being blown out to sea off Chesil
beach but the volunteer crew were stood down by the coastguard as the
paddleboarders were rescued by another vessel.
The lifeboat returned to Lyme Regis
lifeboat station by 4.50pm
September
5th 2021
Bikers in Mad Dash
ride meet the crew of Lyme Regis lifeboat
Two motorcyclists visiting 24 RNLI
lifeboat stations in the south-west in what they called a Mad Dash over
four days rode into Lyme Regis today as they started the last leg of their
journey.
Lyme Regis was the 21st
station visited by Stuart Morrissey and Paul Brady.
The two men, both from Plymouth, set
out from Dartmouth on September 2nd to raise funds for the RNLI and to
mark the 40th anniversary of the Penlee lifeboat disaster in
which 16 people died.
Stuart has raised a total of £89,000
for various charities in recent years. “I have had a few medical issues,”
said Stuart, who works in mosaics, “ but I simply enjoy helping others
whose needs are greater than mine. But I am also a keen angler and I might
need the RNLI one day.”
Stuart and Paul were met by several
members of the volunteer crew of Lyme Regis lifeboat.
September
1st 2021
Barbara, 80, ‘cycling’
870 miles for the RNLI
A grandmother, who has
sailed the Atlantic three times with her husband, has set out on a virtual
cycle ride from Lands End to John ‘O Groats to raise donations for the
RNLI.
Mrs. Barbara Townsend,
80, from Axminster, rides her exercise bike every day and has clocked up
more than 300 miles so far...virtually just north of Birmingham. Her
target to virtually reach John O’Groats is some 870 miles.
Mrs.Townsend, who has
seven grandchildren, has raised £950 so far on her JustGiving page .
She started her
marathon ride on August 4th.
She and husband
David,84, were keen sailors and crossed the Atlantic three times in their
42 foot ocean going sailing boat.
She said: “The RNLI
does a fantastic job, and when we used to pop over to France it was always
comforting to know the volunteers of the RNLI were always there if we
needed them.
“Fortunately we never
had to call them out.”
Mrs. Townsend’s
donation page can be found at https//www.justgiving.com/fundraisingBarbara
-Townsend?
August
30th,
2021
Lifeboat
crew rescue four aboard broken-down dinghy
Four
people aboard a dinghy were towed to safety today (Monday) by the
volunteer crew of Lyme Regis’ RNLI lifeboat.
The
dinghy suffered engine failure and began drifting offshore, the four
people set off from Charmouth beach but had trouble with the engine and
drifted nearly 2 miles off from Charmouth beach.
The RNLI
crew towed the boat and four people back to Charmouth beach where they
were safe to recover their boat.
The
lifeboat crew launched at 2.15pm and returned to Lyme Regis lifeboat
station 3pm.
August 29th
2021
Lifeboat launched to ‘paddleboarders in
trouble’
Lyme Regis lifeboat was launched for a
second time today (Sun) following reports of two youngsters in
difficulties while paddleboarding off Eype.
The volunteer RNLI crew launched at
4.45pm but after finding no trace of the youngsters coastguards heard that
they had been helped to safety ashore by friends.
August 29th
2021
Lifeboat crew
rescue three aboard broken down speedboat
Three people aboard a broken down
speedboat were towed to safety today (Sunday) by the volunteer crew of
Lyme Regis’ RNLI lifeboat.
The speedboat developed problems off
Burton Bradstock and was initially towed by a fishing boat.
The RNLI crew took over the tow into
West Bay harbour.
The lifeboat crew launched at 12.45pm
and returned to Lyme Regis lifeboat station 1.44pm.
August 10th 2021
Lifeboat launched to rescue ‘missing
swimmer’
Lyme Regis’ RNLI lifeboat crew launched at 9.30pm last
night following reports of a swimmer missing off the town’s main beach.
The man was last seen swimming out to a catamaran moored outside the
harbour entrance but sightings were lost, and coastguards were called by
a concerned friend on the beach.
The lifeboat crew launched within 8 minutes of the alarm
being raised and found the swimmer struggling about 150m from the beach.
Lifeboat helm Jon Broome said : “We searched around the
catamaran, using searchlights, and one of our crew, Andy Butterfield,
spotted the man clearly in difficulties.
“He was obviously suffering from the cold as we got him
aboard the lifeboat .
“We took him to the lifeboat station where he was given hot
drinks and generally cared for before our coastguard colleagues took him
to hospital in Dorchester.”
Lifeboat crew member Mark Ellis, who is also a full time
paramedic, said: “Once we got the man ashore, I assessed his condition in
the lifeboat station and when his temperature had returned to normal after
about 90 minutes it was decided to get him to hospital for further
observation.”
August
8th 2021
Keen swimmer
Giles joins the Lyme Regis lifeboat crew
A long distance swimmer who has moved
from West London to be near the sea with his wife and twin daughters has
become the newest member of the volunteer crew of Lyme Regis lifeboat.
Giles Bristow,46, Director of
Programmes for a charity promoting climate solutions, has joined the RNLI
as shore crew but has ambitions to join the sea-going volunteers after
completing his training.
Giles, who swims up to 10k and takes
advantage of the waters off Lyme Regis most mornings, said: “I have long
wanted to join a lifeboat crew and can’t believe my luck finding a vacancy
in Lyme after moving from London.
“I am delighted to join the RNLI where
the values are in line with my own, that we save all lives at sea without
discrimination or judgement.”
Giles, who was born in Africa, was an
environmental lawyer in the City for ten years before joining the Ashden
charity, part of the Sainsbury Charitable Trust. He moved to Uplyme
with wife Holly and twin daughters Eden and Jocelyn,9, in April.
August 2nd 2021
Lifeboat Week
raises £33,000...and still counting
Lifeboat Week returned to Lyme Regis
this year and recorded estimated donations to the life-saving charity of
more than £33,000, with the results of some events still to come in.
Ken Lavery, Chairman of the
fund-raising group, the Lyme Regis and Charmouth Lifeboat Supporters said:
“The provisional total is an absolute tribute to our fantastic volunteers
who toiled well beyond the call of duty working long hours to achieve a
great result.
“There was evidence that the public –
our visitors and local residents – were delighted to see the return of
Lifeboat Week. Many people said they were so pleased to see the event
taking place as it signalled a return to some sort of normality.
“We must place on record our sincere
thanks to everyone who donated so generously to our charity and they are,
quite literally, helping to save lives at sea.”
There were many success stories for
events during the week. For example, the wine or water tombola raised
£9,000, and the lifeboat crew sold 600 hot dogs raising £1,715, some
£1,021 was collected in the name the welly dog competition and the produce
stall raised a record £800.
And 17 year old Josh Denning, who
performed the Lifeboat Week opening ceremony, kept up his record as top
collector with £1,048 going into his RNLI bucket during the week.
August 2nd
2021
Blessing of boats service remembers those
lost at sea
A
‘congregation’ estimated at 150 attended yesterday’s (Sunday’s)
traditional open air Blessing of the Boats service hosted for local
churches by the RNLI at the lifeboat station on the Cobb.
Music and
song were provided by the Lyme Regis town band and the Lyme Moonrakers and
there were wreath parties from the Powerboat Club, Gig Club, Sailing Club,
the Boat Building Academy, Her Majesty’s Coastguard service, the RNLI and
the Royal British Legion.
The
wreaths, taken to sea by the lifeboat crew, represented commercial
fishermen, recreational water users, the RNLI and the Royal British
Legion.
Eden
Bristow, daughter of a crew member, read a poem during the service which
was conducted by the Rev. Chris Martin and the Rev. Chris Woodman.
July 30th
2021
Good weather for
ducks as the race is a winner, and a top award for Josh
The Irene
Roper duck race – named in memory of Irene, a leading light in organising
Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week – went ahead as planned today and was streamed
live on the local RNLI Facebook page for the first time.
Some 1200
ducks were sold, 200 of them online. Members of the local RNLI
lifeboat crew ran the race as usual on the River Lym at the bottom of the
town.
The winner
was duck number 241, in second place was duck 92 and third was 419.
There was a
prize also for 17 year old Josh Denning who opened Lifeboat Week last
Saturday. The lifeboat crew presented him with a signed helmet to thank
him for his efforts collecting donations throughout several Lifeboat
Weeks.
July 28th
2021
Lyme Regis lifeboat crew launched after
windsurf gear found on beach
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat crew launched this evening (Weds)
following reports of windsurfing equipment found ashore east of West Bay
Harbour.
The lifeboat volunteers launched at 6.03pm and were stood
down 19 minutes later when West Bay coastguards reported that the owner of
the equipment was safe and well ashore.
This was the fourth alert for the Lyme Regis lifeboat crew
this week and he 21st this year.
July 27th
2021
Lifeboat launched after reports of ‘missing
swimmer’
Fears that a
swimmer may be missing off the beach at Seaton led to the launch this
afternoon – the third day of Lifeboat Week - of the RNLI’s lifeboat at
Lyme Regis.
The volunteer
lifeboat crew launched at 3.29pm and, working with the coastguard team
from Beer, carried out coastline searches.
The alarm was
raised when a man’s rucksack was found ashore. The search was called off
when it was established that the man was safe and well ashore. The
lifeboat crew returned to Lyme Regis at 5.20pm.
Volunteer
Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks said: “When we get reports such as
this it is always better to be safe rather than sorry.”
This was the 20th
‘shout’ for the Lyme Regis crew so far this year.
July 25th
2021
Crews battle for bathtub trophies and lifeboat crew take a
shortcut !
A
large crowd watched last night’s (Sunday’s) good-humoured Lyme Regis
Lifeboat Week bathtub race and saw the youth section of the town’s sailing
club win the event...and the RNLI crew disqualified for taking a shortcut.
Five bathtub crews took part. Second place went to the Fire and Rescue
Service team and in third place were the crew from the Boat Building
Academy. Rob Perry Marine took fourth place.
The RNLI crew found a novel way of avoiding the harbour entrance to reach
the slipway in second place but were disqualified, although they made a
not too convincing claim that they had not broken the rules.
After the event the Sailing Club said that they had dedicated their win to
long-serving member John Wiscombe whose death had been announced that day.
July 12th
2021
Long service awards
for three RNLI Johns
The CEO of the RNLI was in Lyme Regis
today to present long service medals to three lifeboat crew members all
named John.
The three, who have been volunteer
crew for more than sixty years between them, are John Cable, John Bird and
John Rickard.
CEO Mark Dowie
told the three: “Giving twenty years of your free time to any cause is a
major commitment.
“You do very much more than you
thought you would do when you joined, and I bet the people round here
feel a lot safer because of what you do.”
In his 20 years, John Cable has been
shore crew, tractor driver, lifeboat crew and Deputy Launching Authority.
John Bird has been shore and sea-going
crew during his twenty years of volunteering and is also a tractor driver
for the launching and recovery of the lifeboat.
John Rickard has been shore crew
throughout his 20 years and is also vice chairman of the successful fund
raising group the Lyme Regis and Charmouth Lifeboat Supporters.
July 7th
2021
Seb, 38, is new man
at the helm of Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat
A 38 year old architectural designer
who joined the RNLI five years ago has just become the latest volunteer
crew member to achieve the role of helm aboard Lyme Regis’ inshore
lifeboat.
Seb Cope passed out as helm after a
one hour written test and a two hour assessment of his skills at sea.
He is now one of seven helms based at
the town’s lifeboat station on the Cobb.
Seb said:” I am delighted to have
fulfilled an ambition I have had ever since I joined the crew.”
Seb, who became a sea-going crew
member just one year after joining, was tested on several scenarios at sea
including anchoring, veering and a search for two missing kayakers.
He added:” The assessment was pretty
gruelling particularly after a day at work, but I now look forward to the
opportunity to teach and train others.”
Volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager
Nick Marks said: “Congratulations to Seb. He has worked hard over the last
couple of years and has not been helped by the restrictions imposed by the
pandemic. He is stepping up at just the right time as we head into the
busy summer period.”
June 27th 2021
Binocular gift to
lifeboat crew in memory of lost angler
The sister of a man who was lost with
two friends in a tragedy that resulted in the longest-ever call out for
the volunteer RNLI crew in Lyme Regis has marked the anniversary with a
special donation.
It was June 12th 1995 when
coastguards alerted the Lyme Regis lifeboat crew that a powerboat with
three men on board was overdue from a fishing trip the previous day.
Andrew Sparks,29, married with two
young children, was one of the three men, all from Chard, who were
reported missing.
Now his sister, Sarah Haskins, also
from Chard, has donated two pairs of powerful binoculars in memory of
Andrew for use by the Lyme Regis volunteers from the balcony of the
lifeboat station. She raised £850 among family and friends to buy the
binoculars and today (Sunday) those family members and friends visited the
lifeboat station to officially present the binoculars.
“As a family we always support the
RNLI,” said Sarah, “and the donation is also to mark the diamond
anniversary of my parents Val and Bill Sparks.”
Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks
said:” We are very grateful for these gifts. They will be a vital aid to
us, providing close up views in all directions from the lifeboat station
balcony.”
The search for the three men involved
five lifeboats, two RAF Nimrod aircraft, two coastguard helicopters and
two Royal Navy helicopters.
The Lyme Regis RNLI volunteers were at
sea for more than 16 hours, which involved six crew changes, and 400
litres of fuel.
June 23rd
2021
Fingers crossed for Lyme Regis Lifeboat
Week
The group
organising this summer’s Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis have held their final
planning session, and are keeping fingers crossed that all the popular
events will take place despite COVID.
The week starts
on July 24th and it is hoped the hard copy version of the
programme will be available around the town – including the lifeboat shop
on the Cobb- by the middle of next week.
And for the
first time this year the programme is available to download on the app
store for iphone users and playstore for android users. It is also
available on the Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week website to download a pdf.
Ken Lavery,
chairman of the organisers, the Lyme Regis and Charmouth Lifeboat
Supporters, said: “We have a very full week planned including many old
favourites which we have ensured will be fully COVID compliant with
whatever the latest advice is.
“Our fantastic
volunteers will be fully briefed regarding their safety and that of the
public, and we are pleased that our event safety management plan has been
reviewed and approved by the town council. We are very confident in the
measures we may have to take to ensure we have a great and safe Lifeboat
Week.
“Our fingers are
crossed for everything, including the weather, of course!”
June 23rd
2021
Envelope firm posts £500 to RNLI
A Somerset firm that chose the RNLI as one of its favourite
charities yesterday (June 22) presented a £500 cheque to the volunteers at
Lyme Regis lifeboat station.
The cheque, from Blake Envelopes of the Lynx Trading
Estate, Yeovil, was handed over by marketing manager India Broad to new
lifeboat shore crew recruit Maria Barbarshina.
India and several work colleagues came to the lifeboat
station to meet the crew and deliver the donation.
20th June
2021
Lifeboat crew featured in new exhibition
An exhibition featuring the
volunteers of the RNLI in Lyme Regis opens on Thursday (June 24) at the
Courtyard Gallery in the Town Mill square.
The exhibition opens daily from 10am-4pm and includes
portraits of many of the crew by professional artist Maria Barbashina who
has also recently joined the Lyme Regis RNLI. The exhibition will be open
for one week and admission is free.
8th June 2021
Lyme Regis lifeboat
launched to ‘people in the water’
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched
at 7.52 last night (Mon) after initial reports that four people were in
difficulties in the water at the entrance to Axmouth harbour.
Later it was confirmed that only two
people were involved and they were safely on the beach when the lifeboat
crew arrived on scene at 8.02pm.
To make sure no-one else was involved
the lifeboat crew carried out a shoreline search and were then stood down
arriving back at Lyme Regis harbour at 8.45pm.
5th June 2021
Londoner Dave joins the sea-going lifeboat
crew
A Londoner
with no previous maritime experience has just become the latest volunteer
member of the sea-going crew of the RNLI lifeboat in Lyme Regis.
Walthamstow-born Dave Holland, 48, joined the Lyme Regis team in 2017 as
shore crew and worked hard to complete the 49 training modules needed to
pass out as sea-going crew.
Dave,
married to Maria, with three grown up children, moved to Lyme Regis in
2016.
Dave, a
butcher’s assistant, said: “It has been my dream to live by the sea. I
joined the lifeboat crew to make the tea, but I really wanted to do a
proper job of being a crew member.
“I think I
have proved that you don’t have to have vast sea-going experience to join
the lifeboat crew. The RNLI and your colleagues will teach you all you
need to know. I am genuinely chuffed to be a member of a great team.”
Dave’s
progression was not helped by the COVID pandemic which effectively halted
training for nine months.
He has been
permitted to take part in some 30 ‘shouts’ already.
Volunteer
Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks said: “It is great to see Dave
complete his training under such difficult circumstances and he deserves
much credit for determination and commitment.
“We are
expecting a busy summer so having Dave available as fully qualified crew
is especially welcome.”
May 9th
2021
Lifeboat launched
as seven rowers escape capsized gig
Lyme Regis
lifeboat was launched this morning (Sunday) after a mayday alert when
seven rowers were throw into the sea from a capsizing gig.
The
incident happened just outside the town’s harbour. The seven men, members
of Lyme Regis Gig Club, were rowing the ten metre gig Black Ven when it
was struck by two large waves.
All seven
were thrown out of the boat. The cox, Tony Colston, received a head
injury, and after first aid from RNLI volunteers at the lifeboat station
he was taken to hospital for checks. The other six were cold, wet and
shaken but otherwise unhurt.
The rowers
all reached shore safely. Two members of the lifeboat crew jumped into the
water to help the rowers ashore.
One of the
gig’s crew, Nick Bale, said: “We were at 90 degrees to the waves when we
were hit from behind.”
Another
rower, Chris Bailey said: “We were hit by freak waves, and it could have
happened to anybody.”
The RNLI
volunteers launched lifeboat Spirit of Loch Fyne within seven minutes at
10.59am and returned to harbour at 11.30.
2nd May 2021
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat called to
medical emergency on a fishing boat
The volunteers of the
RNLI lifeboat in Lyme Regis were alerted by coastguards at 11.40am today
after a report of a medical emergency on a fishing boat approximately 6
miles south of Lyme Regis.
The lifeboat crew
launched and used their training and navigation skills to locate the
fishing vessel which was 9 miles south east of Lyme Regis. The fishing
vessel from Brixham was still fishing when the lifeboat crew arrived, two
crew members went aboard to assess the casualty and treated him. The
casualty, a fisherman from Brixham had suffered from a potential broken
ankle, the volunteer crew administered first aid on board the fishing boat
then assisted the casualty onto the lifeboat where he was taken back to
Lyme Regis harbour and passed to ambulance crew for further assessment and
treatment.
The lifeboat crew returned to the harbour at 2pm
5th
April 2021
Lyme Regis lifeboat
launched in search for missing couple
The
volunteer crew of Lyme Regis lifeboat launched last night at 9.20pm to a
report of a couple who were missing from walking along the undercliff from
Axmouth to Lyme Regis.
The couple,
Matt & Gaynor, from Bristol had walked from the Rousdon area to the
popular coast path however they did not arrive at their destination and
their children who were waiting to collect them alerted the coastguard. It
was reported that the missing couple contacted the coastguard by calling
999 and were seeking assistance because they were lost.
The
lifeboat launched and conducted a shoreline search and then provided a
communications relay for coastguards searching the cliffs around Pinhay
bay.
Coastguards
later found the couple with their two dogs on the cliffs and walked out
together to Pinhay home and the lifeboat crew were stood down.
The
lifeboat crew returned to Lyme Regis at 11.10pm.
31st
March 2021
Lyme Regis lifeboat launched twice
Lyme Regis
lifeboat crew were training last night and were called out to Abbotsbury
to a report of kayaker in difficulty at Cobden beach near Abbotsbury at
approximately 5.30pm. The volunteer crew conducted searches, but nothing
was found and were later stood down by the coastguard.
The
lifeboat returned to the station, the crew changed and continued training.
Just as
most of the volunteer crew of Lyme Regis lifeboat were heading to bed, at
10.15pm the pagers sounded to alert them to a report of a drifting dinghy
off Monmouth beach in Lyme Regis.
The Lyme
Regis coastguard team were also in attendance and it was reported that
some young party goers had taken a boat from the nearby boat park and
pushed it out to sea.
The
lifeboat crew found no one aboard the dinghy so recovered the drifting
vessel and returned to harbour.
14 March
2021
Blessing boats
service moved to August
The annual
Blessing of the Boats service, hosted by the RNLI on the Cobb in Lyme
Regis this year, has been re-scheduled to the later than usual date of
August 1st.
The event
is usually held on Rogation Sunday but it is hoped Covid-19 restrictions
will be eased by August.
The
inter-denominational service, to which all are welcome, will start at 2pm
and will be conducted by the Rev. Chris Martin, team vicar of the Golden
Cap Benefice.
Music will
be provided by the Lyme Regis town band and the Lyme Bay Moonrakers.
Invitations
will as usual be sent to boating groups in the area.
9 March
2021
Plans under way for
Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week
Plans are
under way for the return of Lifeboat Week to Lyme Regis in July.
A
provisional programme for the week, beginning on July 24, is being
discussed by members of the town’s Lifeboat Supporters Group.
The week –
a summer highlight since the 1970s – was cancelled last year because of
the pandemic.
Chairman of
the supporters group Ken Lavery said: “We feel we have to be optimistic
and hope that restrictions will be lifted by late July.
“We are
making plans to stage as many events as possible during the week,
including old favourites and new activities subject to any Covid-19
restrictions which might still be
in place.
We will update progress on our Facebook page and website.” (https://www.facebook.com/LymeRegisLifeboatWeek
https://www.lymeregislifeboatweek.co.uk)
Lifeboat
Week has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for the RNLI’s life-saving
charity since the 1970s. In 2019 the week raised a record £40,000.
Artist Maria puts Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat
crew in the picture
A Russian -
born artist based in Lyme Regis has launched a portrait painting project
involving nearly thirty members of the town’s volunteer lifeboat crew.
Maria
Barbashina ,38, offered to paint the portraits, and some 26 crew members
have volunteered for a 90 minute sitting.
Maria, who
trained as an artist in Russia from the age of 12, specialises in
portraits and still life.
Her first
lifeboat crew subject was volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks
and he was followed by sea-going crew members including senior helm Tim
Edwards.
Maria said:
“I enjoy a challenge and like to choose subjects who I feel play an
important role in local life.
“I hope my
portraits will help to promote the volunteer duties of the RNLI in Lyme
Regis.
“I also
find this sort of project a very nice way to meet new and interesting
people.
Nick Marks
said: “It’s a great project which Maria has offered us and one day we may
have a display of the portraits in the lifeboat station.”
18
February2021
Lifeboat launched to swimmer ‘struggling’
at sea
Lyme Regis
RNLI lifeboat crew answered their second call of the day at 3.12pm today
following reports of a 19 year old man in difficulties in the sea off
Abbotsbury.
The man was
reported to be struggling to get back to the beach and the alarm was
raised by a friend ashore.
A coastguard
helicopter arrived on scene just before the lifeboat and the man was
winched to safety and taken to hospital in Dorchester.
18th
February 2021
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat launched to red
flare.
Lyme
Regis lifeboat launched this morning (Thursday 18th February)
to a report of a red flare seen at Charmouth.
The
volunteer crew were contacted by the Coastguard at 10.30am, 15 minutes
later the crew had arrived on scene and conducted search patterns near
Charmouth and further out to sea.
Further
information was then provided by members of the local coastguard rescue
team that the flare was found ashore and not out to sea, so the lifeboat
crew were stood down. The volunteer crew returned to station and were
ready for service by 11.30pm.
This was the
second call out for Lyme Regis lifeboat this year.
If you see
someone in trouble at the coast, call 999 and ask for the coastguard
11 Feb
2021
Lifeboat helm
Mark joins the
management team
A senior member of the volunteer
sea-going crew of the RNLI lifeboat in Lyme Regis has switched his role to
join the management team.
Mark Colley, 57, who was at the helm
of the lifeboat for 14 years, retired from that role at the age of 55 and
today (Feb 11) became a Deputy Launching Authority.
Mark, a carpenter, with a total of 21
years as a crew member, said: “The role of DLA is an important one in the
management structure at the lifeboat station and I feel I can put my
sea-going and search and rescue experience, in particular, to good use
with other members of the crew.”
9th January 2021
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat launched to red
flare.
Lyme Regis lifeboat launched yesterday afternoon (Friday 8th
January) to a report of a red flare seen over Seatown.
The volunteer crew were contacted by the Coastguard at 5.40pm, 20 minutes
later the crew had arrived on scene and conducted search patterns near
Golden Cap and further out to sea.
Further information was then provided by members of the local coastguard
rescue team that the flare was inland and not out to sea, so the lifeboat
crew were stood down. The volunteer crew returned to station and were
ready for service by 8pm.
This was the first call out for Lyme Regis lifeboat this year.
A selection of 2020 'shouts'
27th December 2020
A year of challenges for Lyme Regis
lifeboat volunteers
The man at the helm of the RNLI lifeboat station in Lyme
Regis has praised his volunteer crew after a ‘challenging but successful
year.’
In a review of 2020 Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks
said: “We managed to meet our aim of maintaining an effective life-saving
service throughout year. No calls for help were missed through
non-availability of our lifeboat or crew members in the most difficult of
circumstances.”
Mr Marks said the year had started well but became
increasingly challenging as COVID-19 established itself and threatened to
interrupt the 24/7 lifeboat service proudly delivered by the RNLI since
1824.
Lyme Regis lifeboat station went into ‘lockdown’ early in
the crisis - the station was closed to visitors, strict COVID safety
measures were put in place and training, both ashore and at sea, was
suspended. These measures were needed to protect the crew and boat as much
as possible.
Mr Marks added: ”With the arrival of summer the crew became
very busy answering an unprecedented number of shouts as the south coast
filled with visitors.”
By Christmas the lifeboat had launched 45 times to answer a
variety of emergencies involving swimmers, walkers, kayakers and power
boat users.
But, said Mr. Marks, there were also calls “most
frustratingly to inflatable plastic dinghies which should never have been
at sea.”
An additional casualty of COVID, said Mr Marks, was the
ability to recruit new crew members.
Recruiting will start again when the pandemic is over.
Seagoing crew, either male or female, should work or live within ten
minutes of the lifeboat station, be between 17 and 50 years old and be
prepared to commit to a rigorous training programme.
26th
November 2020
Lifeboat charity shop re-opens to save
lives at sea
Just two weeks
after the latest appearance of the town’s lifeboat crew in the BBC TV
series Saving Lives At Sea, the RNLI shop on the Cobb in Lyme Regis is to
re-open on December 2nd.
The shop is a
major contributor to the life-saving charity’s funds and, despite closures
due to lockdowns, recently announced that it had raised £48, 230 between
January and October this year.
The shop’s
volunteer manager Krys Lavery said: “We are delighted to be back in the
business of supporting our charity and just in time to help our loyal
customers with their Christmas present choices.”
14th November
2020
Lifeboat launched to ‘man stuck on cliffs’
The volunteer
crew of RNLI Lyme Regis lifeboat launched yesterday (13th
November 2020) at 4pm following reports of a man in difficulty on the
cliffs near Seatown, Dorset.
The man thought
to be escaping the rising tides between Seatown and Golden Cap had climbed
up the cliffs and was in difficulty. The lifeboat crew attended along with
local coastguard teams and the Coastguard Rescue helicopter which was
training nearby. The helicopter crew quickly located the casualty and
winched him to the safety of the cliff top where he was met by Coastguard
Rescue team.
The lifeboat
crew were then stood down by HM Coastguard and returned to Lyme Regis
harbour at 5.00pm.
The weather
this weekend is wet and windy, it coincides with high spring tides so
please take care when by the sea. If you see anyone in trouble in or near
the sea, call 999 and ask for the coastguard.
4th November
2020
Success for the RNLI shop and another TV
appearance
The generosity of the public and the hard work of
volunteers have resulted in a successful spell in difficult times for the
RNLI’s tiny shop in Lyme Regis.
The lifesaving charity’s shop had to close on November 5th,
but volunteer manager Krys Lavery said:” We have had two months of
wonderful support from the public, and in October alone we raised £21,966,
a 33.31% improvement on October last year.
“From January to October we raised £48,230 which is
wonderful.”
In a message to the volunteers who run the shop next to the
lifeboat station, Mrs Lavery said:”Thank you to everyone for your
continued help and enthusiasm in helping to keep our lovely little shop
open in difficult times.”
The volunteer crew of the RNLI’s lifeboat in Lyme Regis are
to feature again in the BBC TV series Saving Lives at Sea. The scheduled
episode on November 17 includes the rescue of a woman and her two dogs
trapped on cliffs.
The programme is due to be transmitted at 8pm on BBC2.
20th October
2020
Charmouth Christmas
Day swim...a statement from the RNLI fund-raising group, the Lyme Regis
and Charmouth Lifeboat Supporters.
“Because of the distancing
restrictions and general safety issues which will almost certainly still
be in place, the Lyme Regis and Charmouth Lifeboat Supporters will not be
fund-raising at the Charmouth Christmas Day swim this year.
“Throughout these difficult times the
RNLI’s priorities have been the effective delivery of a life saving
service and the welfare of our volunteer crew members. Sadly, this means
our crew and fund-raisers will not be supporting the Charmouth Christmas
Day swim this year.
“The crew does, of course, remain on
stand-by for calls for assistance from anyone in difficulty at sea.
“So far this year the RNLI volunteers
in Lyme Regis have answered 41 calls for help.”
4th October 2020
Kicking a hole in one for the RNLI
A local
businessmen Gary Davies has raised nearly £300 for Lyme Regis RNLI. Gary
runs Lyme Regis Footgolf and set up a hole-in-one challenge to raise money
for the lifesaving charity.
Walking the Liberty trail for the RNLI
Two men, Nick Perry and Mark Farrell both 34 and friends
who live in Yeovil have walked the Liberty Trail. Nick has been keen to
walk the trail from some time and was finally successful, completing the
28-mile trek from Ham Hill to Lyme Regis.
The Liberty Trail is based on the stories of some of the
men who joined the Monmouth Rebellion. In the early summer of 1685
villagers from throughout Somerset and Dorset were making their way to the
coast at Lyme to join the Duke of Monmouth. He was expected to land at
Lyme to lead a rebellion against the King with the rallying call of
'Liberty to the People of God'.
The two men
carried nearly £500 in £1 coins to donate to members of Lyme Regis RNLI..
19th September
2020
Lyme Regis lifeboat crew rescue two women
drifting offshore
Two women on a kayak and paddleboard were rescued today
(Saturday) by the volunteer crew of the RNLI’s Lyme Regis lifeboat.
The lifeboat crew were contacted by HM Coastguard to a
report of two women that were drifting away from the shore at Lyme Regis.
Volunteer crew launched just after midday and were guided in the direction
of the women by the Lyme Regis Harbour Masters team.
The two women, aged 30 & 31 from Winchester and London, one
of whom was pregnant, had intended on enjoying a leisurely time at sea
however the winds from the north east were stronger than expected and the
two of them were blown offshore. They realised very quickly that they were
in trouble and they called family ashore who notified the coastguard.
The lifeboat crew were alongside the two women 6 minutes
after launching, both on their kayak and paddleboard, they were wet and
cold but otherwise safe. The wind had blown the two women approximately 1
mile south of Lyme Regis. Volunteer crew took the women aboard the
lifeboat and returned to Lyme Regis lifeboat station where they were met
by coastguards and given safety advice.
The lifeboat crew returned to Lyme Regis harbour
approximately 30 minutes later.
Jon Broome, helm of the lifeboat said “This weekend is host
to some high spring tides and strong north easterly winds, it is very
important that anyone going to sea have the appropriate equipment to
contact the coastguard if necessary. These two women were incredibly lucky
today, but because one of them had a mobile phone so they were able to
call for help.”
This was the 37th time that Lyme Regis lifeboat
has launched this year.
It is advisable that anyone near or on the sea this weekend
check the weather and tides before heading out.
If you see anyone in trouble in or on the sea, call 999 and
ask for the coastguard.
14th
September 2020
Rescue of two sailors
by Lyme Regis lifeboat crew to feature in BBC series
The rescue last summer of two
ex-professional sailors by the volunteers of Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat is
to feature next week in the BBC 2 series Saving Lives At Sea.
The rescue, in August last year, will
feature in the second programme in the new series to be screened at 8pm
on Thursday September 24th.
The sailors, Sam Brearey, from
Canterbury, and Christian Birrell, from London were training for a
national sailing championships when their dinghy capsized in strong winds
500m south of Lyme Regis harbour.
The forestay – a rope supporting the
mast – broke and their vessel capsized throwing both men overboard.
Both men were in the water when the
lifeboat crew arrived on scene.
Sam Brearey said at the time: ”Despite
all the experience we have both gained, if the forestay goes you have a
major problem. We were very pleased to see the lifeboat crew; they were
brilliant at working together to recover us and our boat.”
September
Council worker Kyle,25, joins the Lyme
Regis lifeboat volunteers
Volunteers with the RNLI in Lyme Regis have welcomed aboard
their newest sea-going crew member, 25 year old Kyle Knight.
Kyle, a maintenance operative with Lyme Regis Town
Council, went to sea on his first ‘shout’ when two kayakers were
reported in trouble off Axmouth.
Dorchester-born Kyle said: ‘I thoroughly enjoyed my first
shout . I have always loved the sea , and joining the Lyme Regis RNLI
seemed the natural thing to do. It was great to get my first shout under
my belt.’
Kyle had been training for just over a year.
Murray Saunders, who was at the lifeboat helm for Kyle’s
first shout, said:’ Kyle will be an asset to our sea-going team. He is
very keen and showing a good deal of promise.’
Lyme Regis Town Council now has two members of staff on the lifeboat team.
The local authority’s Operations Manager Matt Adamson-Drage is a DLA –
Deputy Launching Authority
Lyme Regis Lifeboat Shop re-opening
Lyme Regis lifeboat shop is due to re-open on Saturday 5th
September and the volunteer staff are looking forward to welcoming
customers once again through the doors. The RNLI shop adheres to all
COVID-19 advice following a full Risk Assessment:
Only 1 person/1 social bubble allowed at any time.
Card payment preferred but cash accepted.
All Christmas cards, calendars and diaries are now in
stock....plus lots more!
The hours of opening will be slightly reduced to available volunteers but
will be open on a daily basis.
Lyme Regis lifeboat launched to divers in
trouble nearly 20 miles south
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched this morning at 10am
(Monday 31st August) to assist HM coastguard with a vulnerable
person near Burton Bradstock.
The local coastguard team were also on scene and they were
able to deal with the person. The volunteer lifeboat crew were then tasked
to a report of persons in the water and a dive boat in trouble 19.5 miles
south of West Bay.
As the lifeboat crew arrived on scene it was clear all
three people were safe and well aboard the dive boat and managed to get
the engine working and then returned to West Bay harbour.
The lifeboat returned to Lyme Regis by 2pm
27th
August 2020
Lost portrait of a ‘hero’ presented to
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat crew
A 50 year old pencil portrait of a much-decorated Lyme
Regis lifeboat crew member has been presented to the town’s RNLI
volunteers by the artist’s grandson.
Mark Shephard’s grandmother, Camille Moore, lived in Yawl,
Uplyme, when she is believed to have drawn the portrait of John Hodder
during an art class at Woodroffe School in the 1970s.
Mr. Shephard kept the portrait in the loft of his home in
Godalming, Surrey, but when he saw the name John Hodder on the back, and
the obvious signs that the subject was a lifeboat crew member, he decided
to contact the RNLI.
Mr. Shephard said: ‘My grandmother was a very keen artist,
and I have other examples of her work. It seemed only right that the
portrait should come home to the RNLI in Lyme Regis.’
Mr Hodder, 76, was unable to attend the presentation, but
said: ‘I am very grateful to Mr Shephard for his donation of the portrait
and would like it to remain at the lifeboat station as a reminder of my
years of service with so many superb colleagues.’
Mr. Hodder served with the RNLI in Lyme Regis for 20 years and was
recognised for several acts of courage during rescues at sea. Crew members
who served with Mr Hodder were known as ‘Hodder’s heroes.’
20th
August 2020
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat launched to 70yr
in the water
Lyme
Regis lifeboat launched this morning (Thursday 20th August) to
a report of a person in the water in rough seas off Freshwater beach, near
West Bay.
Lyme Regis lifeboat volunteer crew responded to a call from the Coastguard
to a report of a person in the water near Charmouth. It was not known
whether the reported 70yr old female was conscious or not.
The
volunteer crew were contacted by the Coastguard at 11.15am to assist, due
to the high winds and rough seas, approximately 15 minutes later the crew
had arrived on scene to find that the reported person had been recovered
by concerned lifeguards from the nearby holiday park. The casualty was
checked over by the ambulance crew.
The call
came from a member of the public who spotted the suspected casualty. This
was the 35th call out for Lyme Regis lifeboat this year.
The RNLI
and HM Coastguard are urging people to visit lifeguarded beaches and take
extra care on Friday and Saturday as forecasts predict dangerous sea
conditions, involving large swells, strong winds and spring tides.
Across
exposed coastal areas in Devon and Cornwall, current forecasts for Friday
and Saturday are predicting wave heights between 6-9 feet coupled with
strong south westerly winds across the region. These conditions, alongside
large spring tides, can result in a dangerous sea state and increase the
risk of strong rip currents. If you see a red flag at a lifeguarded beach,
do not enter the water, as it is unsafe for any water activities. If there
are no flags, there are no lifeguards.
If you see
someone in trouble at the coast, call 999 and ask for the coastguard
13th August 2020
Lyme Regis lifeboat launched after
report of two in trouble on inflatable
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched at 12.54pm today
(Thurs) following reports of two people in difficulties on an inflatable
600m off Freshwater Bay.
As the lifeboat crew arrived on scene it was clear the two
people were safe and well and being assisted by the West Bay
harbourmaster’s launch.
Coastguards then stood down the Lyme Regis lifeboat crew.
This was the 34th call for help for the volunteers of Lyme
Regis lifeboat so far this year.
11th August
2020
Lyme Regis lifeboat launched in search
for missing man
The volunteer crew of Lyme Regis lifeboat answered their 33rd
call for help this year to assist coastguards in the search for a man
described as ‘vulnerable.’
The lifeboat launched at 10-15 last night (Mon), conducted
a shoreline search and provided a communications relay for coastguards
searching the cliffs just east of Axmouth.
Coastguards later found the man on the cliffs, but because
of his location the coastguard helicopter was called, and the lifeboat
crew were stood down.
The lifeboat crew returned to Lyme Regis at
1.30am
8th
August 2020
Lyme Regis lifeboat
crew rescue two men on drifting dinghy
Just as the crew of Lyme Regis
lifeboat arrived back today after assisting a fishing boat taking on water
they were alerted to two men drifting on an inflatable dinghy three miles
offshore at Abbotsbury.
The men were in danger, drifting on a
strong current, and were taken on board the lifeboat with their dinghy.
They were safe and well and taken by the lifeboat to Abbotsbury where they
were met by local coastguards.
As the volunteer crew of the Lyme
Regis lifeboat, Spirit of Loch Fyne, were returning again they were told
of a call from Freshwater beach about a woman possibly in difficulty on an
inflatable. But the caller, who first rang the lifeboat station, did not
follow up with a call to the coastguards. The lifeboat crew found no
trace of the woman and a search was called off. This call was recorded as
a false alarm with good intent.
8th August
2020
Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat called to fishing boat ‘taking on water’
The volunteers of the RNLI lifeboat in
Lyme Regis were alerted by coastguards at 9.15a.m. today after a fishing
boat was reported to be taking on water off Seaton in Devon.
One lifeboat crew member boarded the
17 foot fishing boat, the Rosie Lee, using a salvage pump.
Finally, the fishing boat, with two
people aboard, was able to sail under its own power and was escorted by
the lifeboat crew to the safety of Lyme Regis harbour, arriving at
11.20a.m. This was the 29th call for help answered by the Lyme
Regis lifeboat volunteers so far this year.
Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat called to assist ‘lifeboat’
The volunteer crew of the RNLI’s
lifeboat in Lyme Regis answered an emergency call yesterday…..to go to the
aid of a lifeboat.
A former ship’s lifeboat, once capable
of carrying 50 people, was reported drifting with engine problems off
Seaton beach. The old lifeboat, named Gryphon, with four men aboard, was
on sea trials when the alarm was raised by coastguards at 3.55pm.
The Gryphon was later able to sail
under its own steam and was escorted by the RNLI crew to the safety of
Lyme Regis harbour arriving at 5.20pm.
2nd August
2020
Anglers rescued by Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat
crew after launching flares
Two
anglers were rescued by the volunteer crew of the Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat last night (Sat) after they accidentally ran their boat ashore
on Chesil Beach.
The men,
cold and wet, were stranded on the beach when the lifeboat crew arrived.
Lifeboat
crew member Tom Crabbe said: ‘Somehow the mens’ boat – a rigid inflatable
– had filled with water when it was apparently beached accidentally and
both men had been in the water. They were cold and wet but otherwise
seemed ok and certainly had plenty of safety equipment.’
Among their
safety equipment were red flares which the men launched to raise the
alarm.
Coastguards
ashore had guided the lifeboat towards the men on the beach,
The men
were taken to Abbotsbury aboard the lifeboat where they were met by
coastguards. The lifeboat crew then towed the rigid inflatable to West Bay
harbour.
The alarm
was raised at 7.19pm and the lifeboat crew finally arrived back in Lyme
Regis at midnight.
13 July
2020
Lyme Regis lifeboat called to
Kayak and two children
Lyme
Regis lifeboat launched yesterday (Sunday 12th July) at 7.30pm
to a report of a lady with her two children on a kayak drifting out to
sea.
The
husband contacted the coastguard who was concerned that they were drifting
out to sea, she was reported to be approximately ½ mile south of Golden
Cap. The lifeboat crew were on scene 10 minutes after launching and
contacted the lady who was not in any trouble. The lifeboat offered to
stay with her to see that she arrived safely, but she declined the
request.
The
lifeboat crew were stood down, having launched at 7.30pm, and returned to
Lyme Regis harbour at 8.00pm.
5
July 2020
e man, said to be dressed in
black and carrying a rucksack, later disappeared on the cliffs from the
view of coastguards ashore and the lifeboat crew.
The lifeboat crew were stood down,
having launched at 6.30pm, and returned to Lyme Regis harbour at 7.40pm.
29 June 2020
Lifeboat launched to kayaker’s distress
call
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat crew
launched today after a kayaker accidentally activated a distress alert on
his smartphone.
The kayaker was half a mile south of
the town’s harbour when the alert was received by coastguards and had
paddled ashore when the volunteer lifeboat crew arrived.
Lifeboat helm Murray Saunders said:
“It was a false alarm with good intent, and the kayaker deserves full
credit for being safety conscious and using a distress system.
“I don’t think he even knew he had
accidentally set it off in his pocket and he was very apologetic.”
26 June
2020
Lifeboat crew
called to teenager drifting on inflatable
The volunteer crew of Lyme Regis
RNLI lifeboat were called out last night (Friday) following a report of a
teenager drifting on an inflatable near Church Beach east of the town’s
harbour.
When the lifeboat arrived the
youth managed to get ashore by himself and was met by local coastguards
who gave him safety advice.
The lifeboat crew launched at
8.22pm and returned to Lyme Regis harbour at 8.46pm.
1st June 2020
Lyme Regis lifeboat launched this evening to a boy
in trouble at Seaton
Lyme Regis
lifeboat launched this evening (Monday 1st June) at 6pm to a
report of a boy in trouble after jumping in the harbour entrance of the
river Axe in Seaton.
The
lifeboat crew were contacted by the coastguard requesting an immediate
launch, volunteer crew were quick to launch and were soon on their way to
Seaton. On route they heard from the coastguard that the boy was taken
ashore by a member of the public who was paddle boarding.
The young
boy required first aid attention and the local Beer coastguard team were
able to perform this prior to the ambulance crew arriving.
The
lifeboat crew and coastguard helicopter from St. Athan were standing by
but the ambulance crew ashore kept the boy stable and he was taken to
hospital for further checks.
The
lifeboat returned to Lyme Regis harbour about 7pm.
Lifeboat
Helm Murray Saunders said: “We launched as quick as safely possible as we
have been to incidents at the river mouth previously. It is important for
people to understand the dangers of the rivers and sea but if you do see
someone in trouble in or near the sea, call 999 and ask for the
coastguard.”
30 May 2020
Eight rescued by Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat
crew as speedboats run aground
Eight people, adults and children from two families, were
rescued by the volunteer crew of Lyme Regis lifeboat today after both
their speedboats ran aground at Black Ven east of the town.
The lifeboat crew towed both boats and those aboard back to
the safety of Lyme Regis harbour where the families were spoken to by
local coastguards.
Lifeboat senior helm Tim Edwards said: “When we arrived on
scene we found that both speedboats had run aground, disabling their
gearboxes and their engines.”
The lifeboat launched at 2.40pm and the rescue operation
ended at 4pm.
27th
May 2020
Lyme Regis lifeboat help woman and dogs
cut-off by the tide
Lyme Regis lifeboat launched
yesterday afternoon (Tuesday 26th May) at 12.50pm to a report
of a woman in distress fearing being cut off by the tide near Pinhay bay,
between Lyme Regis and Charton bay.
The lifeboat crew were quick
to launch and were soon on scene with the boat to begin searching for the
stranded woman and her two dogs.
The volunteer lifeboat crew
spotted the woman ashore who was waving to attract their attention, they
deployed a crew member to swim ashore and to reassure the casualty. One of
the dogs was blind and struggling with the terrain. The crew member
escorted the casualty and dogs to Charton bay, due to the flat calm
conditions the lifeboat was able to get close enough for the casualty and
dogs to jump aboard the lifeboat to return safely to Lyme Regis.
The local coastguard team
greeted the lifeboat on return to Lyme Regis harbour and the woman and
dogs were taken back to her car.
Lifeboat Helm Tom Crabbe said:
“The weather and see conditions made for a quick and safe recovery. It is
important for people to check tide times before heading out. If you see
someone in trouble in or near the sea, call 999 and ask for the
coastguard.”
20 May 2020
RNLI and HM Coastguard launch beach safety campaign urging
parents to protect their families and save lives at the coast this summer
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and
Her Majesty’s (HM) Coastguard today launch a new beach safety campaign, urging parents to protect
their families by following key safety advice to save lives this summer.
Following the recent easing of nationwide lockdown restrictions in England
and with children still off school, many more people are expected to visit
the coast to exercise and take part in water-based activities.
Last weekend alone, Coastguard rescue teams were called out 194 times in
the UK to incidents including; inflatables drifting offshore, crashed jet
skis, people injured while out walking or cycling along the coast,
paddleboarders, kayakers, windsurfers and kite surfers in difficulty and
people cut off by the tide.
In 2019, RNLI lifeguards aided more than 29,000 people on UK beaches in
more than 17,000 incidents, saving a total of 154 lives. They also helped
to reunite nearly 1,800 lost children and teenagers with their families
and aided 346 people in incidents involving inflatables.
Despite the ongoing challenges posed by coronavirus and social distancing
the RNLI still hopes to provide a lifeguard service on around 30% of the
beaches the charity usually covers in time for the traditional peak summer
season. But at
present, there are no RNLI lifeguards
on UK beaches, and we cannot be everywhere this summer.
Whilst RNLI lifeboat crews and HM
Coastguard are still on call ready to respond to emergencies, the message
is clear; we need the public to be aware of dangers, take responsibility
for themselves and their loved ones and remember that, in an emergency,
call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
Gareth Morrison, RNLI Head of Water Safety, said: ‘If the charity’s
lifeguards were present on the beaches today, they would be preventing
many incidents before they even occurred by directing people to safe
swimming areas, highlighting dangers such as rip currents and advising
people not to use inflatables. These preventive measures are not currently
in place meaning people could find themselves in danger if they are not
reading the signs and following the relevant safety advice.
He added: ‘Our lifeguards are trained to swim 200m within 3 1/2 minutes,
and although our volunteer lifeboat crews are fully operational, should
they be needed, they won’t be able to reach you in the same time.
‘It is important that anyone visiting the coast understands that the beach
can be a dangerous environment and you must take more responsibility for
you and your family this summer. No one ever goes to the coast to be
rescued yet RNLI lifeguards rescue 1000’s each year.’
Following key safety advice will keep people safe and help to reduce the
demands placed on RNLI lifeboat crews, HM Coastguard and other emergency
services.
That is why parents are now being urged to take charge and be ‘beach
smart’ if they visit the coast to ensure they and their families have the
safest summer possible, whether lifeguards are patrolling their beach or
not.
Claire Hughes, director of HM Coastguard said: ‘We
know from sad experience that whether you’re local or nor, whatever your
ability of experience in your chosen sport or leisure activity, the sea
can still catch you out and be unmerciful when it does. Now, more than
ever we need people to respect the sea and the coast.
‘If
you get into trouble call 999 and ask for the Coastguard and we will come
to your aid. But coronavirus hasn’t gone away, and we all need to follow
the rules. Remember your choices might put people, including yourself and
frontline responders, at risk. Take extra care in these extraordinary
times.’
This summer with beach lifeguard patrols significantly reduced the RNLI
and HM Coastguard are advising the public not to use inflatables at all
and for everyone, especially parents, planning
a visit to a beach or the coast to follow this safety advice:
·
Have a plan - check the
weather forecast, tide times and read local hazard signage
·
Keep a close eye on your family – on the beach and in the water
·
Don’t allow your family to swim alone
·
Don’t use inflatables
·
If you fall into the water
unexpectedly, FLOAT TO LIVE. Fight your instinct to thrash around, lean
back, extend your arms and legs, and Float
·
In an emergency dial 999, and ask for the Coastguard
Background:
· Roll-out of the normal
seasonal lifeguard service was paused at the end of March due to the
measures put in place by the UK Government to control the spread of
Coronavirus. With changes to the lockdown restrictions allowing the public
to visit beaches around the UK and Channel Islands, the RNLI has been
looking at plans to resume a lifeguard service where possible. This needs
to be consistent with government guidance, but the plan is for the service
to build in time so that lifeguard patrols reach 70 beaches by peak
season.
Beaches will be chosen
based on risk and popularity. The RNLI will also look to achieve a
geographical spread while making sure the service provided is flexible and
sustainable enough to respond to what may be an ever-changing environment.
For further information on
the campaign visit:
rnli.org/beach2020
19 May 2020
Lifeboat Zoom meeting ends with a ‘shout’
A Zoom meeting of management volunteers who run the RNLI
lifeboat station in Lyme Regis came to an abrupt end last night when
their pagers sounded and the crew launched to answer a ‘shout.’
Police asked for help in dealing with ‘a man behaving
erratically’ on the beach at Burton Bradstock.
The lifeboat crew were stood down after police dealt with
the incident.
The Zoom meeting of the lifeboat operations team was half
way through its allotted 40 minutes, having started at 7pm, when the crew
were called out.
Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week and Carnival
cancelled
Two of the biggest and most eagerly anticipated summer
events in Lyme Regis – Lifeboat Week and the Regatta and Carnival Week –
have been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Lifeboat Week has been held in the town since the early
1970s and has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for the RNLI charity.
Last year alone the week raised a record £40,000.
Lifeboat Week and the Regatta and Carnival were due to be
held at the end of July and early August.
Ken Lavery, chairman of the Lyme Regis Lifeboat Supporters,
said: ”This decision was incredibly difficult to make. However, first and
foremost we must put the safety and welfare of our visitors, members and
volunteers above all else.
“We felt it was impossible to carry out our many and varied
activities to the standard that holidaymakers and members of the
community know and love, with social distancing measures in place as they
should be.
“Lifeboat Week in Lyme has always been not only great fun
for all concerned, but has raised a significant sum to support our
voluntary lifesaving efforts.
“Our crew remains ready to go to the aid of anyone in
danger on the sea with our colleagues in the coastguard service and this
vital service will continue.
“However, as well as losing Lifeboat Week, a decision has
been made to keep the lifeboat shop closed over the busy holiday period to
ensure the safety of our volunteers many of whom are in the vulnerable
groups.
“Therefore there will be a very significant loss of income
this year. We would hope that as many people as are able will support the
RNLI through donations and by using the online shop so that the loss can
to some extent be mitigated.”
Alan Vian, Regatta and Carnival Secretary, said: ”We are so
disappointed as we always look forward to being with holidaymakers raising
money for local good causes.
“This virus will have a negative effect on local traders
during this summer and on the lack of donations that we usually make to
local organisations.
“Preparations are already in place for Lifeboat Week 2021
from July 24 to 31 and Regatta and Carnival Week from August 7 to 14 and
we look forward to welcoming everyone then. Together we will get through
these difficult times, and the message is keep safe and take care.”
11 May
2020
RNLI statement following UK Prime Minister’s
announcement on 10 May.
The RNLI is currently seeking further
clarity following the update given by the UK Prime Minister last night, 10
May, and will be engaging with a number of watersport governing bodies and
other stakeholders to help inform its response.
Many people will want to visit the
coast and participate in water-based activities such as swimming,
kayaking, surfing, boating and angling.
At present there are no RNLI
lifeguards on beaches and although our volunteer lifeboat crews are fully
operational, should they be needed, it is important that anyone visiting
the coast understands the risk and takes the necessary steps to keep
themselves safe. This will also help to reduce the demands placed on our
lifeboat crews and other emergency services including HM Coastguard. In
this way we can all work together to succeed in ensuring the coast is a
safe place to visit.
We would urge anyone planning a visit
to the coast to follow RNLI safety advice:
• Take care near cliffs -
know your route and your limitations
• Have a plan - check the
weather forecast and tide times
• If you fall into the
water unexpectedly, FLOAT TO LIVE. Fight your instinct to thrash around,
lean back, extend your arms and legs, and Float
·
If
individuals are choosing to go sailing or yachting it is important to
ensure that
equipment is properly checked and serviceable before
going afloat.
• In any coastal emergency
dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.
April 25th
2020
Lyme Regis lifeboat crew search for missing
diver
Lyme Regis lifeboat launched yesterday afternoon
(Saturday 25th April) at 3.35pm to a report of a missing diver
approximately 5 miles south of Lyme Regis.
The
lifeboat crew were quick to launch and were soon on scene with the boat to
begin searching for the diver.
Two
fishermen, one from Cornwall and the other from Edinburgh who were both
staying in Bridport were diving for scallops when one of the divers became
detached from his surface buoy/marker. The diver had been diving without a
buddy.
The marker
buoy was discovered by the other man aboard the boat with no diver
attached, he then contacted the coastguard to inform them of his missing
diver.
The
coastguard alerted Lyme Regis lifeboat, Exmouth lifeboat and HM Coastguard
search and rescue helicopter from St. Athan and Newquay to search for the
diver. At least four other fishing vessels and the Royal Navy Offshore
Patrol Vessel HMS Tyne joined in the search.
After some
considerable searching, Sub Lieutenant Boyle from HMS Tyne spotted the
diver and Exmouth Lifeboat were able to recover him from the water safe
and well.
He was
passed to Lyme Regis lifeboat where the crew brought him back to the
safety of the harbour.
The diver
who did not want to be named said “I came up to the surface with my bag of
scallops and was shouting at the guy in the boat but the swell had picked
up, the waves were bigger and he was up wind so couldn’t hear me. I saw
the helicopter fly over and some of the other boats searching. I was very
relieved when the lifeboat crew arrived and pulled me out of the water.
Thank you to everyone involved”
The local
coastguard team and police were present, and the two fishermen were issued
with a fine as a breach of the covid-19 lockdown.
Lifeboat
Operations Manager Nick Marks said: “We are glad that the diver is safe
and well however the RNLI is recommending that you should not go in or
near the water during this lockdown.
March 31st 2020
Lifeboat crew remain on standby but
Blessing of the Boats cancelled
March 18th 2020
Virus alert closes Lyme Regis Lifeboat Station and RNLI
shop
The following statement is from Nick Marks, volunteer
Lifeboat Operations Manager for the RNLI in Lyme Regis.
“In order to protect our volunteers as much as possible
from coronavirus infection Lyme Regis Lifeboat Station has closed to
visitors for the foreseeable future. The RNLI shop on the Cobb has also
closed.
“Lifeboat training has been reduced to the bare minimum
needed to sustain our ability to deliver a lifesaving service.
“The lifeboat crew will continue to respond to service
calls as and when required.”
March 7. 2020
Landslips warning to walkers as mother and
daughter rescued by Lyme Regis RNLI
A warning to coastal walkers about the dangers of being cut
off by the tide because of landslips has been issued by the RNLI in Lyme
Regis.
The town’s lifeboat crew were called out twice today (Sat)
following reports of four people in trouble.
In the first case, just after 3pm, two people managed to
walk to safety from Seven Rock Point west of Lyme Regis harbour.
But only minutes later a mother and her ten year old
daughter were cut off because of a landslip east of the town as they tried
to walk from Lyme Regis to Charmouth looking for fossils.
Volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks himself
raised the alarm after spotting Hester Brough and her daughter Iona in
difficulties east of the new sea wall.
Mr Marks said: ”The couple had started their walk two hours
before high tide but landslips following heavy rain are reducing safe
areas ashore and increasing the risk of being cut off earlier.”
One lifeboat crew member, Rich Tilley swam ashore to assist
the pair. Then the crew’s X-boat – a ten foot inflatable – was rowed
ashore to pick them up and transfer them to the lifeboat.
Hester Brough, on holiday from Bathampton, Somerset, said
“I am a little embarrassed but we were so relieved to see the lifeboat
crew. We won’t be walking in that direction again now that we know about
the landslips.
Boys rowed to safety by RNLI crew member
after inflatable deflates
Three boys –
two aged 13 and one 14 – were helped to safety today by a Lyme Regis
RNLI crew member after their inflatable boat deflated in the town’s
harbour.
The lifeboat
crew were alerted at 4.55pm. Crew member Rich Tilley rowed the lifeboat
station’s X-boat – a ten foot inflatable -to pontoons in the harbour to
collect two of the boys. The third boy was already ashore.
The boys were
said to be ‘rather wet and apologetic but otherwise unhurt.’
Saturday 18th January
Lyme Regis RNLI Lifeboat
launched to man in fall from Cobb wall
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat crew were tasked by HM Coastguard following reports that a man had fallen off the
high wall of the Cobb.
The lifeboat was about to launch at 3.20pm when crew were
advised by a member of the public that the man who had fallen from had
been picked up by two people who were paddle boarding. The
lifeboat left the boathouse on to the slipway but it was then decided it
was not necessary to launch.
Lifeboat crew and the local coastguard team met the
casualty, David Crabtree, 65, from Sidmouth when the paddleboarders bought
him ashore on Monmouth beach.
David and Debbie Crabtree were walking their dachshund dog
‘Prim’ along the high wall when David suddenly slipped, lost his balance
and fell into the shallow waters below. Another couple who saw this happen
called 999 and asked for the coastguard and an ambulance.
Mr Crabtree was attended to by lifeboat volunteers,
coastguard and ambulance crew. He then joined the crew in the lifeboat
station to warm up before heading back to Sidmouth.
Debbie Crabtree said: “It all happened so quickly and
luckily there was another couple there who contacted the coastguard and
were able to get the attention of the paddleboarders to rescue David. The
lifeboat crew have been fantastic and so helpful with looking after
David.”
As this incident was occurring, another man had fallen from
the wall the other side and was attended to by the coastguard and
ambulance crew.
Nick Marks, Lifeboat Operations Manager said: “The high
wall of the Cobb is particularly slippery, the harbour master has
temporarily advised members of the public not to access the top of the
wall due to large amounts of algae making hazardous walking conditions.”
6 January 2020
Lifeboat rescues
and fund-raising success for Lyme Regis RNLI in 2019
Three rescues due to be screened by the BBC, plus a video
Christmas special featuring the crew and their families and an all-time
record £40,000 raised during Lifeboat Week...these were the highlights of
2019 for the volunteers of the RNLI in Lyme Regis.
The man at the helm of the lifeboat station, Operations
Manager Nick Marks, said: “Once again teamwork and training by the crew
and tremendous fund-raising efforts by the Lifeboat Supporters group have
contributed to a very successful year for our volunteers.”
The rescue of two 14 year old boys being swept out to sea
from the River Axe in June is due to be seen in the BBC’s Saving Lives at
Sea series early in the New Year.
Video using a helmet camera worn by a crew member shows
the boys’ dramatic rescue as they cling to each other at sea.
Footage shot during two other ‘shouts’ is also expected to
be featured in the series later this year. They are the rescue of two
ex-professional sailors whose dinghy capsized and the successful search
for a woman trapped on cliffs with her two dogs.
The Lyme Regis lifeboat crew answered 33 emergency calls
during 2019, a third of them to people cut off by the tide.
The first two ‘shouts’ of the year were to such incidents
in the Charmouth area.
Mr Marks said:” We always urge people to check tide times
and general conditions when out walking.
“Although the year was largely successful there was also
sadness when an extensive search by our crew, Exmouth lifeboat and the
coastguard helicopter failed to find a man who, it later transpired, had
died in the Freshwater Bay area.”
Senior helm Tim Edwards, who was aboard the lifeboat when
the two schoolboys were rescued and who features in the BBC film of the
incident, said “It was a generally safe and successful 2019 and the
rescue of those boys will remain with me for many a year.
“It was a wonderful end to an incident that could have been
so different. It’s what makes all our volunteer work and training so
worthwhile.”
Some 2019 'Shouts'
28. December 2019
Hundreds boost RNLI funds by £2k at
Christmas Day swim
Hundreds of spectators and dozens of fancy dress swimmers
enjoyed the Christmas Day sunshine at Charmouth and donated £1,826 to the
RNLI .
The event was reckoned to be one of the most successful for
several years, and chairman of the Lyme Regis Lifeboat Supporters Ken
Lavery said: “It was a great event with perfect sunshine, blue skies and
the tide was right so we could use the sandy beach.
“It was just a perfect way to start Christmas Day and, once
again, we are so grateful to everyone who donated to our life-saving
charity.”
18 December 2019
Lifeboat charity donates hamper gift to
food bank
An anonymous gift of a hamper to the RNLI in Lyme Regis has
been donated by the lifeboat crew to the town’s food bank.
The hamper was presented today to the food bank’s manager,
Chris Tipping, of Lyme Forward.
Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks said: “Lyme Regis
lifeboat is very fortunate to have generous supporters to whom we are
always grateful
“Recently, a couple, who did not want to be named, handed
in a hamper of festive food at the lifeboat shop.
“Wile our crew appreciate this gesture we recognise there
are people in the town who would benefit from these items and who do not
enjoy the level of support that we do. We therefore decided to donate the
hamper to the food bank, and we thought it appropriate that one deserving
charity such as ours
should support another very worthwhile enterprise,
particularly at Christmas.”
17 December
2019
Lyme Regis
volunteers feature in the RNLI’s heart-warming Christmas film
RNLI volunteers from Lyme
Regis lifeboat station are the stars of the very first Christmas film
produced by the lifesaving charity.
Filmed on location at the station in Lyme Regis the heart-warming film
aims to celebrate the dedication and commitment of all its volunteer
lifeboat crews who will be on call during the Christmas period.
The RNLI’s festive film follows 25-year-old full-time TV Production
Coordinator and crew member, Georgia Robson. Whilst preparing Christmas
dinner, she is called away by the sound of her pager. She races to the
lifeboat station to join the rest of the crew who are preparing for
rescue.
The crew launch the lifeboat to search for a casualty who they thankfully
find and bring back to safety. As they prepare the lifeboat for service
again, they discover a festive surprise in the station boathouse.
Over recent years, it has become a festive tradition for charities and
businesses to release promotional Christmas films and adverts. But instead
of actors and big budgets, the RNLI have produced the film in-house,
featuring the very people who will be in action over Christmas.
Star of the
film Georgia, a volunteer crew member, said: ‘I loved being involved in
this film. Christmas is a time where families come together, but RNLI
volunteers can be called away from their families and homes at any moment.
I think this film beautifully highlights the 'togetherness' found within
crews all around our coast.'
Sharing her
thoughts on the festive film, Director of Fundraising, Media and
Marketing, Jayne George, said, ‘Our RNLI festive film shows the magic of
families coming together at Christmas.
‘But it
also shows the reality of Christmas for some of our volunteers who will
still be on call during their festive celebrations. We want to take this
opportunity to thank our volunteers and supporters, we couldn’t do it
without them.’
RNLI
lifeboat crews in the south west are busier than ever, with a 500%
increase in call outs over the festive period* in 2018 compared with the
same period 40 years ago. Facing a ‘Perfect Storm’, the lifesaving charity
experienced a shortfall in funds last year, but more people than ever
still need its help.
To help the
RNLI volunteers continue to save lives at sea, please visit
RNLI.org/ThePerfectStorm.
The film can be downloaded as a file from the
News Centre
15 December 2019
Lifeboat crew praised for ‘safe and sound’
year
A safe, sound and efficient year was how the man at the
helm of the RNLI in Lyme Regis described 2019 at the crew members’
Christmas dinner last night (Sat).
Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks said that so far
this year the volunteer crew had answered 32 calls for help and held 40
training sessions ‘no mean achievement.’
Some 60 crew members, their family and friends, attended
the dinner at the Harbour Inn.
Special awards were made to helm Mark Colley, who has
completed 20 years voluntary service with the RNLI, and former crew member
Mark Gage for 15 years service.
The much-coveted award for the person voted the crews’ crew
member of the year went to helm Tom Crabbe.
Tongue-in-cheek awards went to Tom Wallis who ‘won’ the
Bent Propeller Trophy, and two crew members were voted Tractor Drivers of
the Year...John Cable and Garry Gibbs.
Get ready for a fancy dress dip on
Christmas Day
Charmouth’s famous Christmas Day swim is being held again
this year, weather permitting.
The event began many years ago and was organised by
villagers.
Year after year dozens of hardy souls – dressed as vicars,
dinasaurs and crusaders to name but a few – plunge into icy water just for
fun and to support fundraising for the RNLI.
Again this year volunteers from the Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat crew will also be in the water keeping a watchful eye on
proceedings.
And also again this year the licensees of the Royal Oak,
Charmouth, Sue and Matthew Bracey, will be providing a welcome glass of
mulled wine.
Sue said: “The free wine goes down very well with the
swimmers, but this year we will have more bottles so that can serve
spectators as well for a donation to the RNLI.”
Swimmers are asked to arrive at 10.30 ready for an 11am
start.
10th December 2019
Homebredy House residents produce calendar
to raise donations for RNLI charity
On Thursday 5th December, a presentation of
£106.00 from donations and sales of calendars was made by resident Bill
Hancox to Krys Lavery (RNLI Shop Manager, Lyme Regis)
Homebredy House provides retirement housing in East Street,
Bridport. Manager Jacqui Street explained that Bill had put together the
calendar with contributions in rhyme and paintings from members of the
Homebredy House, Art and Poetry Clubs.
The front page is devoted to Lifeboats and Crews with a
collection of humorous rhymes and pictures to enjoy throughout the year.
The cheque was handed over by Bill to Krys and a further
£104.50 was raised by sales from a pop-up shop of RNLI goodies set out at
the afternoon tea party.
In all a total of £213.00 was raised to help the RNLI save
lives at sea.
Nick Marks, Lifeboat Operations Manager for Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat station said “We are very grateful for the residents of Homebredy
House for this donation, the RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea.
The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on
voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service.”
26th
November
Lyme Regis RNLI Lifeboat launched to woman
and 2 dogs stuck on cliffs
Lyme Regis lifeboat was launched yesterday afternoon to a
report of a woman with her two dogs stuck on the cliffs.
Lyme Regis lifeboat worked together with HM Coastguard
teams to rescue a woman, 33 from Cardiff with her 2 dogs who was stuck at
the base of the cliffs at Black Venn, between Lyme Regis and Charmouth.
Volunteer lifeboat crew launched the lifeboat at 4.35pm and
after performing a shoreline search, they were able to locate the casualty
because she was using the torch function on her mobile phone.
Two of the lifeboat crew swam ashore to assess the
situation and casualty.
It was a very high tide so the woman had decided to move to
higher ground, this made it very difficult for the Coastguard teams to
access the location.
The lifeboat returned to the station to transport members
of the Lyme Regis Coastguard Response Team and another lifeboat crew to
assist with the recovery.
The Coastguard Rescue helicopter was requested to help and
arrived to winch the casualty back to Charmouth for further assessment.
The volunteer lifeboat crew utilised their small X boat for transporting
the 2 dogs and crew ashore back to the main inshore lifeboat.
The woman and both dogs were safely recovered and all in
good health.
The lifeboat returned to Lyme Regis harbour with the
Coastguard team and 2 dogs by 8pm .
Supper success
Donations to the RNLI at a fish supper at Lyme Regis
lifeboat station on Saturday totalled £519. 25p.
The supper was hosted by former chef Petrina Muscroft, and
23 diners tucked into a large soup pot of chilli con carne, two slow
cookers of fish curry, three large salmon and one gammon. A quiz and a
raffle helped to boost donations.
17 November 2019
Teens learn the ropes at lifeboat station
Five teens, who spent six months learning the ropes with
volunteers of the RNLI in Lyme Regis, got their reward today … a half
hour trip in the town’s lifeboat.
The youngsters, all students at Woodroffe School, are
working towards their Duke of Edinburgh awards and have spent the past six
months attending training sessions at the lifeboat station to complete
the volunteer section of the scheme.
The lifeboat trip marked the end of their sessions with the
lifeboat team.
Helm Brian Street took each of the youngsters to sea, one
at a time, with other crew members. Two of the students are Brian’s sons,
Logan,15 and Tyler, 17, who is hoping to join the crew soon.
Another of the youngsters, Rafferty Porter,15, is the son
of Steve Porter who is a DLA - Deputy Launching Authority- at the lifeboat
station. As he came ashore Rafferty said: ‘That trip in the lifeboat was
so cool; so much fun, and who knows I might join the crew one day.’
The other two students were Jack Evans ,15, and Merlin
Thompson, 14.
Brian Street, a helm with the lifeboat for 15 years, said :
‘ For the past six months these young men have been shown rope work,
navigation methods, chart work and all about the workings of the lifeboat
and the station as a whole.’
Former DLA Ian Marshall and DLA Steve Porter also worked
with the youngsters.
16 November 2019
Caravan park donations boost RNLI charity
Donations by visitors to a Charmouth caravan park resulted
in a cheque for £3,130 presented today to the crew of Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat.
The owner of Wood Farm Caravan Park, Jane Bremner , made
the RNLI her charity for the year, and the 4,500 bookings for the park
resulted in the bumper donations.
The caravan park has been in Jane’s family for 47 years and
has 300 pitches.
Nick Marks, volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager in Lyme
Regis, said: ‘The generosity of Jane and her visitors is much appreciated
by all members of our crew.’
Next year’s charity at Wood Farm will be Dorset Mind.
15 November 2019
Diver rescued by lifeboat joins Lyme Regis
RNLI
A former diving instructor who was once rescued by a
lifeboat crew has joined the volunteer RNLI team in Lyme Regis.
Paul Carey,61, who moved to Lyme Regis from Sussex this
year, has joined the management team at the town’s lifeboat station as a
DLA – Deputy Launching Authority.
Paul, who started diving at 14, soon after he learned to
swim, was rescued with his dive ‘buddy’ after they surfaced only to find
their dive boat had disappeared.
“We were in the water for 45 minutes with waves of three
feet. The dive boat reported us missing and we were very relieved when the
RNLI arrived,” said Paul.
As a qualified lifesaving examiner, boat handler and VHF
radio tutor, Paul also taught diving at Poole Dive Centre.
Paul, who worked with adults with learning difficulties in
Sussex for 20 years, said:”I will never forget my gratitude at being
rescued by the RNLI, and when we moved to Lyme Regis I thought here was
the ideal opportunity to give something back by volunteering.”
Paul and his wife Karen have three grown up children, twins
Lucy and Anna,24, and Timothy, 26.
Tuck into an
RNLI Fish Supper and help us save lives at sea!
27 October 2019
Lifeboat launched to children aboard
‘sinking gig’
Lyme Regis lifeboat was launched today (Sunday) after a gig
with children aboard was overwhelmed by waves and filled with water.
It happened 200metres off West Beach, West Bay.
Everyone involved, including about six youngsters and three
adults, reached shore safely.
Volunteer lifeboat crew, paramedics and coastguards ashore
treated some of the gig occupants.
The lifeboat crew launched at 9.48, initially to a report
of ‘an overturned gig with people in the water.’ When they arrived on
scene adults and childen were ashore, some inside the harbourmaster’s
office. The gig was on the beach.
Two lifeboat crew members, Georgia Robson and Andy
Butterfield, went ashore to assist with ‘casualty care.’
The lifeboat then returned to Lyme Regis to pick up crew
member Mark Ellis, who is also a full time paramedic, and helm Murray
Saunders to assist, along with another paramedic, in treating children and
adults.
Mark Ellis said:” I was able to treat two women and a young
girl who were in some distress.”
Canoe club in rescue exercise with RNLI
crew
A major exercise involving the RNLI lifeboat crew based in
Lyme Regis and members of the Axe Vale Canoe Club has been hailed a
success and a valuable contribution to improved safety at sea.
The exercise involved ten experienced kayakers and
canoeists, and the scenario simulated a club member becoming ill. The
lifeboat crew located the ‘casualty’ using VHF transmission from kayakers
and then assisted canoe club members and their kayaks from the scene of
the incident to the Axe marina.
Mike McAlpine, RNLI volunteer Community Safety Officer,
said: ”The key message was being able to call for help can save lives. On
a small craft like a kayak carrying a PLB – Personal Locator Beacon – is
always a good idea.
“A hand held VHF radio is worth considering, as well as a
mobile phone in a waterproof pouch which works well on many parts of the
near shore.
“The exercise was a success for both the lifeboat crew and
the kayakers with important lessons being learned.”
Lifeboat crew’s dramatic rescue of two boys to feature in BBC TV’s Saving
Lives at Sea
Four members of the volunteer crew of the RNLI’s Lyme Regis
lifeboat will feature in the BBC 2 series Saving Lives At Sea after their
dramatic rescue of two boys being swept out to sea.
The rescue, at the end of June, was filmed by a lifeboat
crew member using a helmet camera and shows how two 14 year old boys were
found clinging to each other after being swept out to sea some 200 metres
from the River Axe.
The boys, Archie Woollacott and Bozhidra Bobev – known as
Bo – are both students at Axe Valley Academy, Axminster. Archie
later helped to raise £700 which the school presented to the RNLI after he
had his hair shaved off by a fellow student.
Archie, his mum Emily, and Bo feature in the film along
with lifeboat crew members Tim Edwards, Murray Saunders, Andy Butterfield
and Nikky Williams.
Saving Lives At Sea, featuring the Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat
crew, is scheduled for transmission sometime on BBC 2 We'll
let you know
18th October 2019
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat crew rescue man in
the water being swept out to sea
Lyme Regis lifeboat launched this afternoon (Friday) to a
report of a man in the water in difficulty at Seaton, Devon. The volunteer
crew were quick to launch, only 8 minutes after being requested by HM
Coastguard at 1pm.
The lifeboat arrived in Seaton less than 15 minutes later
and were able to locate and rescue the man who was wearing a drysuit and
lifejacket with bright colours. The volunteer crew returned with the man
to Lyme Regis lifeboat station.
Lifeboat helm Murray Saunders said: “We were able to get to
Seaton quickly considering the rough seas, it was a good job the man was
wearing appropriate protective clothing and a lifejacket. This helped when
we began searching and were able to rescue him rapidly.”
The lifeboat crew returned to Lyme Regis harbour with the
casualty aboard safe and well at 2.00p.m.
13th October
Lifeboat
launched to ‘man on cliffs’
Lyme Regis lifeboat was launched last night (Sat) after
reports of a man scrambling up cliffs apparently to avoid a high tide.
Coastguards ashore and the volunteer lifeboat crew searched
an area east of Lyme Regis but found no trace of the man.
The lifeboat launched at 7.19pm and returned to Lyme Regis
harbour at 8.30pm .
The incident was recorded as a false alarm with good
intent.
Sailing Club fish supper catches £660 for
RNLI
A fish supper hosted by Lyme Regis Sailing Club served up a
£660 donation for the volunteers of the town’s RNLI charity.
The supper was held last Friday (Oct 11th) and
sixty meals were served at the club’s headquarters thanks to the help of
Vic Pelaou from Lyme’s Fish Bar.
The event was organised by the sailing club’s Trish
Williams along with Di Mattock. The duo and Vic are pictured with the
giant cheque which they presented to lifeboat crew members at their
training session today.
Another fish supper in Lyme Regis is planned for November
16th when former chef Petrina Muscroft hosts a feast at the
town’s lifeboat station.
It’s the third year running that Petrina has held a fish
supper as part of the RNLI’s fund-raising activities.
Once again this year the RNLI is encouraging people to come
together with friends, family or their local community to have fun and
enjoy a fish-themed dish to help save lives at sea.
She will do two sittings, 6-8pm and 8.30--10.30. There will be a
choice of fish dishes and vegetarian, minimum donation £7 and bring your
own drink.
Every penny raised during the RNLI Fish Suppers around the
UK and Ireland will help prevent drowning and will go towards vital
lifeboat crew kit, fuel for lifeboats, and essential training, including
the charity’s many drowning prevention programmes such as Swim Safe
sessions for children.
October 5 2019
Lifeboat Week breaks all records
The final total for Lifeboat Week
and associated
summer fund-raising events in Lyme
Regis this year is £40,315. Treasurer for the Lyme Regis and
Charmouth Lifeboat Supporters, Brian Cursley, announced the result and
said: “There is little doubt that this is the best result ever after all
expenses.”
Supporters chairman, Ken Lavery said: “This is just an
amazing total and a tribute to all the RNLI volunteers involved in
planning and running the events and, of course, we send our thanks to the
many hundreds of generous people who gave donations during the week.”
27 September 2019
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat launched to two
people & a dog cut off by tide
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched yesterday afternoon
(Thursday) when coastguards reported two people and a dog cut off by the
tide at Black Venn, between Charmouth & Lyme Regis.
Sea conditions and visibility were good, the lifeboat crew
were in communication with Lyme Regis coastguard rescue team and conducted
searches along the beach but were later stood down by the coastguard.
Nick Marks, Volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager in Lyme
Regis, said: ‘Conditions around the coastline this weekend are challenging
with high tidal surges, large surf, and potential cliff falls. Anyone out
walking should check the tide times prior to setting off.
As always, if you see someone in difficulty please call 999
and ask for the coastguard.’
The lifeboat was launched at 4.20pm and returned to Lyme
Regis harbour an hour later.
This was the 23rd
emergency call answered by the RNLI volunteer crew at Lyme Regis so far
this year
22nd September 2019
Lifeboat launched to ‘swimmer reported to
be in trouble’
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat launched yesterday following
a report of a person in the water requiring assistance off Beer beach.
The volunteer crew were tasked by the coastguard at 3.20pm
to launch the lifeboat and arrived only 15 minutes later at Beer. The crew
worked together with the Beer coastguard team and discovered the swimmer
has made it safely to shore and was safe and well.
This was the 22nd time the volunteer crew of
Lyme Regis have launched.
The lifeboat
returned to Lyme Regis harbour an hour later.
15 September
2019
Lifeboat launched to ‘paddleboarders in
trouble’
Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat was launched last night following a report of two paddleboarders in difficulty six miles south of West Bay harbour.
The volunteer
crew carried out a search but nothing was found and the ‘shout’ – the 21st
so far this year - was recorded as a false alarm with good intent.
The lifeboat was
launched at 6.40 pm and returned to Lyme Regis harbour an hour later.
5 September, 2019
Lifeboat Week hits a £36,000 jackpot for
life-saving charity
Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis this year raised some £36,500
for the RNLI charity, the organisers heard last night.
Treasurer Brian Cursley announced the week’s financial
results at the first meeting since the event of the Lyme Regis and
Charmouth Lifeboat Supporters.
In his detailed report, Mr Cursley revealed that out of
around 72 events the top earners were the water or wine lucky dip
(£6,002), the glossy programme of the week’s events (£3,760) and the book
stall (£2,556).
Since the early 1970s Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week has boosted
the life-saving charity’s funds by hundreds of thousands of pounds.
In the last seven years alone volunteers have raised
£250,000, thanks to the generous donations of visitors, residents and
traders in the town and surrounding areas.
Chairman of the Lifeboat Supporters Ken Lavery said: ‘This
year’s week was just brilliant and a huge tribute to everyone involved.
All the new events did well as did the old favourites. We are now
planning an even more ambitious week for 2020.’
Next year’s Lifeboat Week is July 25th – 31st.
4th
September 2019
Artist Jess donates to RNLI after national
sailing championships
Jess Douglas,
local artist/illustrator and Lyme Regis Sailing Club member, has presented
a cheque for £130 to the volunteers of the town’s RNLI.
The donation to
the lifeboat charity was raised during the Firefly National Championships
hosted in Lyme Regis in August. Jess sold copies of her promotional
Firefly poster.
Copies of the
poster are still available. Contact Jess on her website:
https://www.jessdouglas.com/
30 August 2019
Lifeboat joins big search after ‘flare’
report
Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat joined a search last night (Thursday) after a fishing boat crew
reported seeing two red flares a few minutes apart at sea.
The volunteer
lifeboat crew launched at 10pm and were at sea until half past midnight,
searching from Charmouth in the east to Seaton and Sidmouth to the west of
Lyme Regis.
The lifeboat
crew joined a search with a coastguard helicopter, Exmouth’s RNLI lifeboat
and coastguards ashore from West Bay and Beer.
Nothing was
found and the lifeboat crew were stood down by Solent coastguards just
after midnight.
25 August 2019
Sea anglers net £3,000 for lifeboat
volunteers
Members of
Seaton’s Sea Angling Club yesterday (Sat) presented a cheque for £3,000 to
the volunteers of the RNLI in Lyme Regis.
The donation to
the lifeboat charity was raised during a number of fund-raising events
including the annual barbecue. The total included a large sum raised in
memory of Chris Cox, whose son Nathan is a member of the club.
Now lifeboat crew get a floating X-Factor !
Lifeboat volunteers in Lyme
Regis now have their own version of the X-Factor to help them save lives
at sea.
The RNLI has supplied the
town’s lifeboat crew with a so-called X-boat …a ten foot inflatable with
oars.
Volunteer Lifeboat Operations
Manager Nick Marks explained: ’The idea is to try and avoid asking crew
members to swim ashore to reach people, particularly those cut off by the
tide. This has sometimes been necessary when the lifeboat has been unable
to get close to shore safely.’
The crew are currently
evaluating the value of the inflatable which is taken aboard the lifeboat
and then later rowed ashore to offer reassurance, or even first aid, to
anyone in trouble. Nick Marks added:’ We are hoping the X-boat will
improve our operational ability still further to assist those in
difficulty ashore.’
August 11
2019
Sailors
rescued by Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat crew as their dinghy capsizes
Two
ex-professional sailors were rescued by the crew of Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat today when their dinghy capsized in strong winds 500m south of
the town’s harbour.
Sam
Brearey, 30, from Canterbury, and Christian Birrell,also 30, from London,
were training for a national sailing championships event next weekend
when when the forestay – a rope supporting the mast – broke and their
vessel capsized throwing them both overboard.
Both men
were in the water when the lifeboat crew arrived. The 14 foot Merlin
Rocket sailing boat with the two men aboard was then towed by the
lifeboat to the safety of Lyme Regis harbour.
Sam
Brearey said:’ Despite all the experience we have both gained, if the
forestay goes you have a major problem.
‘We were
very pleased to see the lifeboat crew, who were brilliant at working
together to recover us and the boat. There was simply nothing we could do
after the forestay broke.’
The
volunteer lifeboat crew were requested to launch by coastguards at 2.27pm
and returned to Lyme Regis harbour at 4pm.
10 August 2019
Lyme
Regis RNLI lifeboat launched to three cut off by tide
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was
launched this afternoon when coastguards reported three people cut off by
the tide at Freshwater Bay, east of the Dorset resort.
Sea conditions were rough, and
the lifeboat crew was stood down when coastguards ashore assisted the
three people to safety.
Nick Marks, Volunteer Lifeboat
Operations Manager in Lyme Regis, said:’Conditions around the coastline
this weekend are challenging with tidal surges, large surf, strong rip
currents and cliff falls.
‘It is very likely that
swimming, bodyboarding, or surfing will not be safe.
‘Anglers, walkers and those
taking photographs are reminded to keep a safe distance from the water. As
always, if you see someone in difficulty please call 999 and ask for the
coastguard.’
The lifeboat was launched at
12.20pm and returned to Lyme Regis harbour an hour later.
This was the 15th
emergency call answered by the RNLI volunteer crew at Lyme Regis so far
this year.
August 10 2019
Lifeboat launched to ‘six cut off by tide’
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was
launched yesterday (Fri) after coastguards received a report of six people
cut off by the tide on Spittles beach east of the town.
The volunteer lifeboat crew
launched at 1225 and soon established that all six people had managed to
reach safety ashore. The lifeboat returned to Lyme Regis harbour some
twenty minutes later.
August
4, 2019
Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week heading for another success
Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis
was heading for another financial success for the RNLI’s life-saving
charity as the event came to an end yesterday (Fri).
Early estimates were that
donations totalling £28,000 had been received with the final figure
expected within a week or two.
The week started in brilliant
sunshine with the popular appearance of John Challis - Boycie in Only
Fools and Horses – officially opening the event.
Second- hand book sales, the
wine or water raffle, a birds of prey talk with barn owls and a bald
eagle, the spectacular Red Devils Army parachute display team, not to
mention the tug ‘o war across the harbour mouth and the bathtub race….all
proved big attractions for visitors and residents.
Almost a hundred took part in
the swimming challenges for children and adults from Cobb Gate to the
North Wall of the harbour.
Around 500 hot dogs cooked by
the lifeboat crew were sold, and 650 plastic ducks raced to the finishing
line on the River Lym with prizes for the winners and the last
‘competitor.’
The singalong version of the
Mama Mia! film was a sell-out at the Marine Theatre.
Ken Lavery, chairman of the
organisers, the Lyme Regis and Charmouth Lifeboat Supporters, said: “It
was a great week with new events and old favourites all very popular.
“I can’t thank enough those
who took part and donated to our charity. Their generosity once again was
just amazing. I must also thank all our volunteers who gave their time to
run the 72 different events.
“The rain on one day did not
dampen the spirits of anyone.”
Tug ‘o war across the harbour
mouth and the bathtub race rounded off the week on Friday. The lifeboat
crew won the tug ‘o war against a team from the sailing club, sea school
and football club. The sailing club’s bathtub, Cat-Astrophe won with the
Boat Building Academy’s Bare Minimum second and Kersbrook Chaos third.
The lifeboat crew and their
bathtub called Time for Bed came last and had to be towed into the
harbour….by the lifeboat.
1st
August 2019
'Buskers’ 25 years at Lifeboat Week
Two musicians
marked 25 years ‘busking’ at Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week.
Friends Holly
Chapman. 70, and 92 year old Ivor Hyde have been playing together for 35
years, mainly at barn dances. But they have also appeared at Lifeboat Week
every year, Holly, from Axminster, with her violin and Ivor, from near
Chard, with his accordion.
Together they
have raised hundreds of pounds for the RNLI. “It’s just a great pleasure
to play in the open air, and the public are very generous,” said Holly.
August 1st,
2019
Hazel,86, knits a pattern for charity work
If anyone
summed up the spirit of charity work during Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week it
was Hazel Swindells, 86, from the West Midlands.
Hazel is
grandmother to Claire Perkins, the young woman who drowned in 2011 when
her electric wheelchair fell into the town’s harbour.
Hazel, her
daughter Paula and Paula’s husband, Mark, travel from the West Midlands
every year to help RNLI volunteers running the week which often raises
£35,000 for the life-savung charity.
During the week
Hazel sold programmes at the lifeboat station and at the same time knitted
fingerless gloves which she sold for the RNLI. One visitor bought a pair
for £14.
Hazel said: “I
knit all day and every day and the gloves have been very popular.”
Hazel knits all
year round, anything from the gloves to jumpers and cardigans, and always
for charity including the one that supports people with the illness her
grand-daughter suffered from.
27 July 2019
First day crowds enjoy sunshine at Lyme
Regis Lifeboat Week
Huge crowds packed Lyme Regis today in the sunshine for the
first day of this year’s Lifeboat Week.
A major attraction was the appearance of actor John Challis
– Boycie in Only Fools and Horses – to officially open the week and then
to deal with long queues to sign his autobiography.
Another major event was the welcome display by the Lyme
Regis inshore lifeboat, Spirit of Loch Fyne, the all weather lifeboat from
Exmouth and the coastguard helicopter from St Athan, South Wales.
Belly dancing from the Easter Promise group, an art
exhibition and a display by members of the Weymouth and Portland Model
Boat Club also attracted admiring audiences.
27 July, 2019
Three thrown overboard as dinghy is swamped
by waves
Three young men, thrown overboard from their dinghy, have
been praised by the RNLI for their text book response to the drama.
The men’s dinghy was swamped by waves at St. Gabriel’s
Steps near Golden Cap last night (Friday).
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched at 6.40pm. after
coastguards reported the dinghy capsize and three people in the water.
Members of the volunteer lifeboat crew who responded to
their pager alert included seven who had just started to take part in a
charity cricket match at Uplyme on the eve of lifeboat week.
The three men, all wearing lifejackets, managed to swim
safely ashore. One member of the lifeboat crew also swam ashore to assist
coastguards who escorted the three to Charmouth.
Ken Lavery, Deputy Launching Authority at the lifeboat
station, said: ”The young men responded to their dilemma in an exemplary
manner. All wore lifejackets, they kept each other in sight as they swam
ashore, one had a kill cord attached to his ankle so their outboard engine
stopped, and they even removed the petrol tank to avoid pollution. It was
text book stuff.”
Owner of the 3.8m inflatable James Chambers, 23, from
Leatherhead, Surrey was visiting Dorset with his fiancé Georgie, also 23,
for their engagement party. The other two aboard the dinghy were James’
brother Harry, 19, and friend James Goodall, 23, also from Surrey.
James Chambers said: ”We were hit by a big wave at the back
of the dinghy and we were all tipped out. We were about 100metres from the
beach. We swam ashore and we were all fine.”
24th July 2019
Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat launched after report of people in the water and a broken down
fishing boat
Lyme Regis Lifeboat launched today (Wednesday)
at 12.45pm today to a report of a 3 people in
the water and a broken down fishing vessel near West Bexington.
Volunteer lifeboat crew were quick to launch after being notified by the
coastguard. On arriving on scene, the crew discovered the casualties had
made it ashore and managed to bring their 15ft fishing boat ashore.
The trio from Berkshire were on their fishing boat when it suffered engine
failure, they managed to get the boat ashore and wait for assistance.
Two of the lifeboat crew swam ashore to liaise with the West Bay
coastguard rescue team to ensure the casualties were safe and well. The
crew set up a tow and towed the boat and people back to West Bay. The
lifeboat returned to Lyme Regis by 2.30pm
20 July 2019
School’s £700 donation to RNLI life-savers
Pupils at Axe Valley Academy in Axminster have donated more
than £700 to the RNLI in Lyme Regis following the rescue of two of their
school colleagues last month.
One of the 14 year olds, Archie Woollacott, handed a
donation of £731 to volunteer helm Murray Saunders at the school’s last
assembly before the summer break yesterday (Fri).
The money was raised by Archie who had his head shaved for
sponsorship and by hundreds of students who donated on a non-uniform day.
Archie, from Fishpond, Dorset, and his friend, known as Bo,
were rescued by the Lyme Regis lifeboat crew after being swept out to sea
from the mouth of the River Axe on June 28.
Youngsters at the packed school assembly were given some
sea safety advice by Murray Saunders on the eve of their six week summer
holiday. He warned against so-called tomb-stoning and urged the students
to remember the RNLI’s message to:’ Respect the Water.’
12 July
2019
Another
close shave for Archie, 14, after rescue by lifeboat crew
A 14 year
old schoolboy rescued with his friend after being swept out to sea from
the River Axe has had another close shave.
Archie
Woollacott, from Fishpond, Dorset, had his hair shaved off today to raise
a donation for the RNLI volunteers from Lyme Regis who saved him and his
friend, known as Bo, also 14, on June 28.
With a
hundred of his fellow students at Axe Valley Academy and his mum, Emily,
looking on Archie had his very short back and sides as fellow student
Sammie D’Alberlansln wielded the electric razor.
Archie
reckons he raised some £300 with his haircut and the school also received
donations for the RNLI on its no-uniform day. A presentation is planned
for next Friday at the last assembly before the summer break.
30th June
One of the boys our crew rescued, (see below) Archie Woollacott, surprised
us by presenting the crew with a lemon drizzle cake he had baked this
morning. Archie attends cookery classes at school and said: "I just wanted
to meet the crew who saved me and to say thank you properly." It now
appears that he and his friend, Bo, were in the water for about an hour.
Photo shows Archie (right) in the bows of the lifeboat with the cake and
helm Murray Saunders and other members of the crew foreground.
28th
June 2019
Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat crew rescue two boys being swept out to sea
Two
teenaged boys being swept out to sea from the River Axe were rescued
tonight by the volunteer crew of the Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat.
The
lifeboat was launched at 6.20pm after a report of one boy in difficulties.
It later became clear that two boys were in the water, and it is thought
one was trying to help the other.
The
lifeboat was on the scene within ten minutes of launching and with the
help of Beer coastguards found the boys some 200 metres out at sea south
of the River Axe.
Lifeboat
helm Murray Saunders said:” The coastguards were a terrific help and
guided us to the boys who were waving to us. It was very fortunate that we
found them so quickly. They were obviously very cold and relieved to see
us.”
The boys
were taken aboard the lifeboat and then winched from the lifeboat to a
coastguard helicopter. It is understood they were then transferred to an
air ambulance and taken to hospital in Dorchester.
The
lifeboat crew returned to Lyme Regis harbour at 7.20p.m.
More with video on the rescue of two boys on the River Axe on the RNLI
News Centre:
https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2019/june/29/lyme-regis-rnli-crew-rescue-two-boys-being-swept-out-to-sea
28
June 2019
Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week 2019 aims to be bigger and better than ever
Plans are being finalised for Lifeboat Week, one of the biggest summer
attractions in Lyme Regis and a huge fund raiser for the RNLI, the charity
that saves lives at sea.
This year’s event gets under way on July 27th , and the
official opening will be performed by actor John Challis who played Boycie
in the BBC TV hit series Only Fools and Horses.
All the
old favourites are in the week’s attractions…the bath tub race, tug o’ war
across the harbour mouth, and the spectacular Army parachute display team
The Red Devils.
As usual
there will be a mix of events to appeal to all ages, including the
swimming challenge for adults and children, a fascinating birds of prey
demonstration and a crab fishing competition for the youngsters.
One new
attraction this year is a singalong version of the film Mama Mia ! being
screened at the Marine Theatre. This event also includes a competition for
the best Abba adult and youngster outfit.
Lifeboat
Week is organised by the local volunteer RNLI fund-raisers, the Lyme Regis
and Charmouth Lifeboat Supporters, with help from the lifeboat crew.
Chairman
of the Supporters Ken Lavery said:” At first there were lifeboat
days, but Lyme Regis has had a action-packed lifeboat week since the
1970s, and in recent years the event has raised hundreds of thousands of
pounds for our life-saving charity.
“On
average the week raises between £30,000 and £35,000 and we are deeply
grateful to visitors, residents and traders for their generous donations.
“This year
we believe we have a bigger and better event all round, and all we need
for another great week is good weather.”
This year
it’s hoped to provide a detailed programme on line and it will also be
available at outlets around the town and, of course, the lifeboat shop on
The Cobb.
Lyme Regis RNLI flag at half mast following French lifeboat tragedy
The flag
at the RNLI lifeboat station in Lyme Regis was flown at half mast
following news of the loss of three crew members when a French lifeboat
capsized during a rescue.
Lifeboat
Operations Manager in Lyme Regis, Nick Marks said: “As a mark of our
respect we took the decision to lower our flag on Friday and a message of
support was posted on twitter.”
The RNLI
said in a statement: “This is tragic news and a shock to all of us in the
lifesaving family. Times like this remind us how perilous the water can
be, Our thoughts go out to all involved.”
Lifeboat flag day success
Flag day in Lyme Regis and Charmouth in aid of the
RNLI charity on June 1st raised £990.09.
Organiser Gwyneth Barker said: “We had forty volunteer collectors on duty
during the day and, once again, we are so grateful for the donations to
our charity that exists to save lives at sea.”
28th May
Authors
put lifeboat in the picture with photo donation
The joint
authors of a top selling book about Dorset, who presented a £1000 cheque
to the volunteers of Lyme Regis RNLI, today turned that cheque into a gift
of photographic equipment for use by the lifeboat crew.
Fanny
Charles and Gay Pirrie-Weir have already donated some £40,000 to
charities, proceeds from their books including Deepest Dorset,
which covers a wide range of subjects about the county including food,
farming, fossils and landscape.
Fanny
said:” We first presented a cheque but then we heard the lifeboat crew
wanted some photographic equipment to help raise their profile even
higher. We wanted the donation to be spent locally and we are delighted to
help.”
Fanny and
Gay presented crew member Dave Holland with a telephoto lens and photo
printer.
Fanny and
Gay’s book is published by Deepest Books, price £20. More information at
www.deepestbooks.co.uk
or phone 0196332525.
26th May
Blessing of the boats remembers tragedy and rescues
An estimated two hundred people attended today’s Blessing of the Boats
open air service at the RNLI’s lifeboat station in Lyme Regis. The poignant
service was conducted by the Rev. Rosemary Bragg, interregnum team vicar,
and the Rev Eric Holdstock from Lyme Regis Baptist Church. The
lesson was read by the recently elected Mayor of Lyme Regis, Councillor
Brian Larcombe.
Four
wreaths were taken out to sea by members of the volunteer lifeboat crew,
marking remembrance of those who have died but also celebrating ‘relief
and gratitude’ for lifeboat crews, coastguards and helicopter crews all of
whom have saved many lives.
Music for
the service was provided by Lyme Regis Town Band.
25 May 2019
Million-pound
training fund helps Lyme Regis RNLI crew learn vital skills
Two volunteer crew members at
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat station have had a vital part of their
crew training funded by Lloyd’s Register Foundation.
Georgia Robson, 25, and Dave Holland,46,,
recently travelled to the RNLI College in Poole, to complete the
charity’s Crew Emergency Procedures course..
Georgia, is a business manager with a vehicle comany and Dave is
an assistant bar manager.
The course sees volunteer crew being trained in a variety of crucial
subjects such as how to deal with fires aboard lifeboats, how to ‘abandon
ship’ in the event of an emergency (with a 4m jump into water), team
survival swimming, coping in a life-raft in simulated darkness, how to
right a capsized inshore lifeboat, and the importance of lifejackets. It
also includes sessions on the correct use of flares, fire extinguishers
and grab bags.
Talking about the training,
Dave said:” The course was informative, invigorating and I
have learned a great deal,, all of which will be immensely useful in my
volunteer duties with the lifeboat crew. Myself and Georgia also greatly
valued the team building aspect of the course.”
Georgia and Dave’s
training took place in the Sea Survival Centre at the RNLI College, where
they were joined by other RNLI volunteer crew members from around the UK
and Ireland.
The training was funded by Lloyd’s Register Foundation, a charitable
foundation that helps to protect life and property by supporting
engineering-related education, public engagement and the application of
research. The Foundation has committed to funding the RNLI’s Crew
Emergency Procedures course for a second 5-year period until December
2020. This additional funding of £1.06M brings their total support for
RNLI crew training to just over £2.46M* since 2008. More than 3,000 RNLI
volunteer crew members have now received the training thanks to Lloyd’s
Register Foundation’s funding.
James Kilburn, Lifesaving Delivery Training Manager at the RNLI said, ‘We
are so grateful to Lloyd’s Register Foundation for funding this vital part
of our volunteer crews’ training.
‘Their
support is very important to us and it’s fantastic how, so far, over 3,000
of our crew members have benefited from Lloyd’s Register Foundation
funding this part of their training. As only one in ten of our volunteer
crew members comes from a professional maritime background, the Crew
Emergency Procedures course is crucial in giving our volunteers the
training they need and helping keep them as safe as possible
Lifeboat teams welcome all to open day and blessing of the boats
Crew
members and supporters of the RNLI lifeboat in Lyme Regis are staging an
open day followed by the annual Blessing of the Boats service on Sunday,
May 26th.
The
lifeboat station on the Cobb will be open from 10am to 2pm. Blessing of
the Boats begins at 3pm.
During the
open day volunteer lifeboat crew and members of the fundraisers, the Lyme
Regis and Charmouth Lifeboat Supporters Group, will be on hand to talk
about all aspects of volunteering for the charity.
The
supporters organise many fund-raising events throughout the year including
Lifeboat Week which this year starts on July 27th.
Chairman
of the supporters group, retired surgeon Ken Lavery, said: ”Lifeboat Week
is our major fund-raising event and donations during the week regularly
total around £30,000.
“Our
volunteers are incredibly enthusiastic, but we could always do with more
help so we thought we would hold an open day in the hope that we might
interest more people to join us. We are a very friendly group and there
are plenty of social activities during the year.”
Lifeboat
Operations Manager Nick Marks also hopes to attract some interest from men
and women who may want to join the volunteer crew.”We hope the open day
will give an opportunity for visitors to discuss with us how the lifeboat
operation works and if we find a few people who would like to join the
crew so much the better.”
So far
this year the Lyme Regis lifeboat crew have answered six emergency calls.
Last year’s total was 40 ‘shouts.’
Anyone
interested in joining the supporters group can do so on May 26th
or call membership secretary Anne Marks on 07802 675985.
The
Blessing of the Boats inter- denominational service at the lifeboat
station will be conducted by local clergy and will be accompanied by the
Lyme Regis Town Band.
Four
rescued by Lyme Regis RNLI crew as speedboat breaks down
Four
people – two men and two women – were rescued by the volunteer RNLI crew
of Lyme Regis lifeboat last night (Monday) when their speedboat suffered
engine failure.
The
lifeboat was launched at 7.52pm and was on scene, 100metres south of
Golden Cap, seven minutes later.
The
lifeboat crew towed the speedboat to the safety of West Bay Harbour,
arriving at 8.22pm and returned to Lyme Regis at 8.50pm.
This was
the sixth ‘shout’ for the Lyme Regis crew so far this year.
‘Deepest Dorset’ helps to keep RNLI Lyme Regis afloat
The joint
authors of Deepest Dorset, a book which looks at what makes Dorset
special, have donated £1,000 from sales to a charity they also regard as
special…the RNLI in Lyme Regis.
Fanny
Charles and Gay Pirrie-Weir have already donated some £40,000 to
charities, including the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, the Dorset
Community Foundation and the Weldmar Hospicecare Trust following sales of
the book.
Fanny
Charles, who presented a cheque to Deputy Launching Authority Ken Lavery,
said: “The lifeboat volunteers do a fantastic job and we wanted to be
certain our donation went to this particular group of people based in Lyme
Regis.”
Deepest
Dorset covers wide-ranging subjects including landscape, and literature,
food, farming and fossils, architecture, the arts and the oil industry
and is published by Deepest Books, price £20. For more information visit
www.deepestbooks.co.uk or phone 01963 32525.
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat launched after report of two people in the
water and sinking boat
Lyme Regis
RNLI lifeboat launched today at 11am after reports of two people in
the water and a sinking boat at Seaton, Devon.
The
volunteer crew arrived on scene within ten minutes of launching by which
time one person had reached shore safely and the other had been
recovered by a passing fishing vessel and then transferred to the Sidmouth
independent lifeboat. Both people were met by an ambulance team ashore.
The
lifeboat crew managed to recover the sinking 20 foot vessel and towed the
boat back to Lyme Regis where more crew were able to work with the
harbourmaster’s team to recover the boat to safety.
It was
reported that the boat had hit the harbour wall when trying to leave
Axmouth harbour near Seaton.
Lyme Regis
lifeboat helm Jon Broome said: ‘Our crew were quick to launch and get to
Seaton in a flat sea. Thankfully the two people were safely ashore when
we arrived so we could focus on recovering the damaged boat.
‘This
Easter bank holiday weekend will see high tides so we would urge members
of the public to take care when out walking and check tide times.’
Lifeboat fund-raisers highlight a year of
success
A change
of name, nearly £67,000 raised for the charity last year and plans a for a
better-than-ever Lifeboat Week in 2019.
These were
the highlights of the annual meeting of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI
Guild last night (Weds).
After
decades as a Guild the volunteers, who form the fund-raising branch of the
RNLI, are now members of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth Lifeboat Supporters
Group.
Chairman
Ken Lavery said the title of RNLI Guild ‘does not tell people what we are
about.’
Members
voted for the name change and now plan an open day at the lifeboat station
in a bid to raise the profile of the group and attract new members.
Mr. Lavery
praised a ‘superb’ committee and said plans were now under way for a
better than ever Lifeboat Week with many old and new events.
Treasurer
Brian Cursley reported that the group had raised a total of £66,806 for
the life-saving charity during 2018, including £35,152 during Lifeboat
Week.
He
said:”It has been an extremely good year, and all down to our volunteers.”
The
meeting heard that takings at the lifeboat shop on the Cobb totalled
£138,203 and it had been the best performing RNLI shop not attached to a
museum or visitor experience centre.
Lifeboat
Operations Manager Nick Marks told the meeting that the volunteer crew
members had answered 40 emergency calls during the year.
Analysis
of the ‘shouts’ showed that most involved missing persons, people cut off
by the tide, and broken down vessels.
Mr Marks
said that because there were locations between Lyme Regis and Golden Cap
where the lifeboat could not be beached crew members had to swim ashore to
reach people in trouble.
He said
the question of getting an additional, much smaller boat for use in such
situations was being investigated.
15 March 2019
Georgia gets her first ‘shout’ as a lifeboat
crew member…while she is in the dentist’s chair
The third
‘shout’ of the year today (Friday) was the first for Georgia Robson, only
the fourth woman ever to join the volunteer crew of the RNLI’s Lyme Regis
lifeboat.
And the
occasion was certainly one she won’t forget…she was in the dentist’s chair
when her pager sounded the alert. “I just had to apologise and explain why
I had to leave,” said Georgia, “and I have now made another appointment to
finish my treatment.”
Lyme-born
Georgia, 24, joined as shore crew just over a year ago and recently
qualified as a sea-going member of the team.
She said:
”We were called to investigate an unidentified object floating near the
promenade at West Bay, so it was just a little worrying as to what we
would find.
“It turned
out to be nothing more serious than a large marker buoy but, of course,
when the coastguards receive a call from a worried onlooker we have to go.
“I just
love being a member of the crew and will have to be patient for my second
opportunity to go to sea on a shout.”
The
lifeboat was launched at 11.52a.m.and returned to Lyme Regis harbour an
hour later.
Midlands coffee club mark Lyme Regis RNLI rescue of
soldier with £700 donation
Members
of a coffee club in the land-locked Midlands have sent a donation of £765
to RNLI volunteers in Lyme Regis to mark their part in the rescue of a
soldier with a broken leg in 2017.
Tim
Robinson, now 56, slipped on rocks and staggered for more than two hours
in the dark before he was found by the lifeboat crew and coastguards near
Golden Cap, east of Lyme Regis in January two years ago.
Tim’s
parents, Anne and Noel Robinson, are members of the Wednesday Coffee Club
at Etwall in Derbyshire and when the club decided to nominate the RNLI as
their charity for 2018 they suggested a donation to the Dorset volunteers.
A similar sum was sent to the RNLI team at Exmouth which had hosted a
visit from the club.
The
chairman of the City of Derby Fundraising Branch of the RNLI, William
Stanier, gave a talk to the coffee club and received the donation. Tim
Robinson spoke of his gratitude to his rescuers at the same meeting.
During the
rescue two first-aid trained members of the lifeboat crew, Tom Crabbe and
Tom Wallis, went ashore to help coastguards assess Mr Robinson’s
condition. The lifeboat crew later took Mr Robinson aboard to a waiting
ambulance at Lyme Regis harbour.
Nick
Marks, Lifeboat Operations Manager in Lyme Regis, said: ”We were
delighted to hear of this donation from RNLI supporters so far from the
sea, and we are pleased to hear that Mr Robinson has recovered from his
ordeal.”
24
February 2019
Cliff Warning
Coastguards and the RNLI in Lyme Regis have issued a stark
warning to people risking their lives as they ignore the dangers of the
beautiful Jurassic Coast.
The latest warnings follow two incidents in which seven
people were cut off by the tide, and photographs emerged of a couple and
four children climbing in the mud on a cliff at Charmouth.
Volunteer Lyme Regis RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick
Marks said: “This latest evidence of people climbing the cliff with
children is a serious concern, as is those who become cut off by the tide.
“ I fear serious injury, or even loss of life, is a real
possibility when people do not take seriously the dangers that the coast
presents.
“That is not to say they should not enjoy the coast, but it
is to emphasise that they must take great care and plan their activities
according to the conditions”
The photographs were taken (last Thurs) by a fossil hunter
on the beach at Charmouth, who said:”I was horrified to see two adults and
four children, all apparently under the age of ten, climbing the cliff.
Mud was actually falling off the cliff at the time.
“I also saw two wellington boots stuck in the mud and
presumably abandoned by their wearers.”
Coastguards, who have dealt with several incidents
involving people cut off by the tide or trapped on cliffs, have also
issued many warnings and advice.
Nick Bale, Station Officer at Lyme Regis Coastguard, said
today (Sun): “We have carried out six rescues in the space of 72 hours. In
all cases the casualties have put themselves in unnecessary danger through
lack of forethought and ignoring straightforward advice and signage. Their
rescuers have also been put into these dangerous situations.
“Coastguard advice remains very clear…do not put yourself
at risk by climbing cliffs or investigating muddy areas as you can easily
become stuck. If you do become stuck, remain calm and keep as still as you
can.
“If you find yourself in difficulty at sea, on the beach or
the cliffs or if you see something which gives you cause for concern do
not hesitate…dial 999 and ask for the coastguard.”
20th
February 2019
Lifeboat called
to couple cut off by tide
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched yesterday (Tuesday
19th Feb) to assist coastguards ashore following reports of two people cut
off by the tide near Charmouth.
The lifeboat crew launched at 5.15pm and were quickly on
scene, the casualties were attempting to walk in the shale mud landslides
below the cliffs between Charmouth and Golden Cap. One of the volunteer
crew swam in to help, they waited for the coastguard rescue helicopter and
were winched up and taken to a landing site in Charmouth setup by the
local coastguard teams.
The two people rescued were teachers from West London
visiting the area for the day. One said “we are so grateful to everyone
involved with rescuing us today and we’re ever so sorry for the
inconvenience”
This was the second emergency call answered by the Lyme
Regis RNLI volunteers to assist with people cut off by the tide in the
last three days.
Nick Marks, Lifeboat Operations Manager said “We would
encourage any visitor to the area to check tide times before walking along
the beach, either Lyme Regis Tourist Information Centre or Charmouth
Heritage Coast Centre. This half term week the local area is experiencing
very high tides, so it is very important to check.”
If you see anyone in trouble in the sea, call 999 and ask
for the coastguard.
Lifeboat called to five cut off by tide
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched Sunday, 17 February
to assist coastguards ashore following reports of five people and a dog
cut off by the tide near Charmouth.
The lifeboat crew, who launched at 4.05pm, stood off
liaising by radio with coastguards ashore, until a rescue helicopter
arrived and landed the people safely on dry land.
This was the first emergency call answered by the Lyme
Regis RNLI volunteers so far this year.
30 January 2019
Christmas 2019 comes
early for Lyme Regis lifeboat families
Christmas this year came eleven
months early last night (Tues) for the crew of the RNLI lifeboat in Lyme
Regis and their families.
The lifesaving charity chose the
town’s crew to feature in a film spelling out the need to stay safe by the
water and emphasising how the volunteers are available all year round.
The film features crew member Georgia
Robson as she is about to tuck into her Christmas dinner. Her pager goes
off and she runs through the streets of Lyme Regis to the lifeboat
station.
The lifeboat is launched and the crew
‘rescue’ Seb Cope, one of their colleagues.
Later Georgia discovers that crew
members and their families have all turned up at the lifeboat station to
have their Christmas dinner, and finally she can enjoy hers after
responding to the lifeboat ‘shout.’
The film’s director Harrison Bates,
from the RNLI’s Film and Image department at headquarters in Poole, said:
‘Filming went extremely well and the crew and their families were
fantastic. We hope the film will stress the need to keep safe by the
water, not only at Christmas, and will also demonstrate how the RNLI’s
volunteers are on call all year round.’
It’s hoped the film will be screened
on-line and on social media, among other outlets, close to Christmas.
20 January 2019
Coastguard Helicopter Exercise
Volunteers with the RNLI’s inshore lifeboat based in Lyme
Regis took part in a major exercise with the coastguard helicopter today
(Sun). The 75 minute exercise began when the helicopter, from St.
Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan, landed on the beach and the aircraft’s
winchman transferred to the lifeboat.
Senior lifeboat helm Tim Edwards said: ”This was a really
valuable exercise in dealing with a casualty at sea, particularly with the
winchman aboard to advise on the handling of difficult situations when
performing complicated rescues involving the coastguard helicopter.”
14 January 2019
Beth drops in at Lyme Regis RNLI on walk
around UK
Long distance
walker Beth Wilkes called in at the RNLI lifeboat station in Lyme Regis
today (Monday) during her marathon journey around the UK coastline.
Beth, from the
West Midlands, started her trek at Tower Lifeboat Station on the River
Thames on 3 October and plans to visit all the RNLI premises during the
year.
Beth is raising
funds for the RNLI and the Lowland Rescue charities and aims to travel
some ten miles a day staying with supporters on the way.
She was
welcomed in Lyme Regis by volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick
Marks who said: ”I never cease to be amazed by the efforts of people
supporting the RNLI in our efforts to save lives at sea. I wish Beth every
success in her mammoth undertaking.”
9 January 2019
New Year challenges for lifeboat crew
Three members
of the crew of the RNLI’s lifeboat in Lyme Regis have made New Year role
changes after serving as volunteers for almost a total of four decades.
Self-employed
carpenter Mark Colley has retired as a helm on reaching the sea-going age
limit of 55 in December and after serving for 20 years. He plans to
continue as shore crew and to assist with training new recruits.
Mark Gage has
reluctantly left the crew after moving home to Bridport. In 15 years he
served as shore crew, boat crew and boat and tractor mechanic. He works as
an energy and environment manager for the Brend Hotel Group.
Mark Gage said:
“It has been an honour and privilege to volunteer with the Lyme Regis
RNLI crew and I leave with a heavy heart.”
Pete (correct)
Cable,24, joined the crew at 17. He left to go to university, returned and
has now left to join the Royal Navy where he plans to train to become a
Weapons Engineer Officer. He hopes to assist as shore crew with Lyme Regis
RNLI during leave from the navy.
Pete’s father
John is a long-serving member of the lifeboat crew.
Some 2018 shouts
27 December 2018
Lifeboat launched to
‘drifting kayaks’
The volunteer crew of Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat answered their 40th emergency call of the year today
(Dec 27) following reports of what appeared to be two drifting kayaks a
mile and a half to the east of the town’s harbour. The ‘kayaks’ turned out to be large
black fenders drifting out to sea south of the Black Ven cliff. The fenders were recovered by the
lifeboat crew and taken ashore at Lyme Regis harbour. The lifeboat was launched at 11.30am
and the crew returned to harbour half an hour later.
26 December 2018
Charmouth Christmas
Day swim brings out the crowds
A gloomy Christmas Day morning did
nothing to deter spectators and swimmers for the annual display of crazy
and colourful costumes and generous donations to the RNLI for the annual
fancy dress swim at Charmouth.
An estimated 300 people watched as
dozens of swimmers – Santas, skeletons, elves and vicars among them –
charged into the chilly waves as Lyme Regis town crier Alan Vian
announced the start of the popular event.
At least £1,500 was raised for the
RNLI charity, and the event was supported by the landlords of Charmouth’s
Royal Oak pub, Matthew and Sue Bracey, who supplied warming mulled wine
for the courageous swimmers.
December 26 2018
RNLI wellie dog
family has a puppy for Christmas
One of the most popular features on
the Cobb in Lyme Regis, the dog created from worn - out lifeboat wellies,
had a happy event in time for Christmas.
With the help, in his garden shed, of
long-serving RNLI lifeboat crew member Garry Gibbs, the one wellie dog
outside the lifeboat shop has become a family of three.
Dozens of Boxing Day visitors to the
town took photographs of the dogs, and the next development will be
finding a family name.
“That may have to wait until lifeboat
week next year, “ said RNLI shop manager Krys Lavery, “but we still have
to make a decision on this important issue.”
Wellie dog family creator Garry Gibbs
said: “Lots of people asked me if the one dog would have a family because
he looked lonely outside the shop. So I found some more worn-out wellies
and the mummy dog and the puppy are the result.”
9 December 2018
Lifeboat volunteers
honoured for long service
Sixty people- members of the crew,
their families and friends – welcomed Christmas yesterday (Sat) at the
annual presentation party of the volunteers of Lyme Regis RNLI.
Four crew members, who have
volunteered for a total of 90 years, received awards. They are Andrew
Rice (30 years), and Lance Taylor, Tim Edwards and Brian Street, all 20
years.
The award for the crew member of year
– voted by the crew – went to senior helm Tim Edwards.
Somewhat less serious presentations
were the Bent Propeller Trophy ‘won’ by Mark Colley and the Man Overboard
award to John Rickard.
A special award – a photograph of the
event – went to three members of the crew who were rescued by their own
colleagues in August, An onlooker ashore thought kite surfers Elliott
Herbert, Murray Saunders and Rich Tilley were in difficulties when the
wind dropped a mile off Charmouth.
Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick
Marks told partygoers at the Harbour Inn that 2018 had a been a successful
year with almost 40 ‘shouts’ , around twice the total for the previous
year. More trainees had joined and the crew never once missed a launch
because of a shortage of volunteers.
He added: ”We have a very good team
and we can take pride in having done our job pretty well.”
14 November 2018
Exhausted windsurfer
rescued by Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat crew
A windsurfer in difficulties was rescued on
Saturday 10th November by the volunteer crew of Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat
The alarm was raised by a woman who was
watching the windsurfer from Lyme Regis beach. When she could not see the
windsurfer for about 10 minutes, she called coastguards.
Lyme Regis lifeboat launched at 1pm and was
quickly on scene to assist the exhausted windsurfer. He was taken aboard
the lifeboat and returned to the safety of the lifeboat station by 2pm.
This was the 38th emergency call
answered by the lifeboat crew so far this year.
2 November 2018
Lone sailor rescued
after bitterly cold night at sea
A lone sailor who spent hours at sea
in an open boat in bitterly cold conditions was rescued today (Fri) by the
volunteer crew of Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat.
The man had been reported in
difficulties in a 15ft yacht eleven miles east of the town by Lyme Regis
fire chief Virgil Turner who was on a fishing trip.
The man was found to be suffering
from the effects of the cold conditions and was taken to Lyme Regis
harbour by the lifeboat crew where he was met by an ambulance. He was
later taken to hospital.
After getting the man safely ashore,
the lifeboat crew returned to the scene and towed the yacht to Lyme Regis
harbour.
The lifeboat launched at 8.35am and
returned to the boathouse, after two journeys to sea, three and a half
hours later.
This was the 37th
emergency call answered by the lifeboat crew so far this year.
22 October 2018
Man and two dogs in
speedboat rescued by Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat crew
The skipper of a 16ft speedboat and
his two dogs were rescued by the volunteer crew of the Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat this afternoon (Mon) when his vessel broke down two miles off
Axmouth.
The lifeboat was launched at 2.26pm
and the crew towed the speedboat to the safety of Lyme Regis harbour. This
was the 34th emergency call answered by the Lyme Regis
volunteers so far this year.
21 October 2018
Coastguards and
lifeboat crew aid elderly woman injured after fall on rocks
Coastguards and the volunteer crew of
Lyme Regis lifeboat went to the aid of a 71 year old woman who fell on
rocks during fossil hunting today (Sunday).
The woman, a regular visitor to Lyme
Regis from her home in Jersey, was with members of her family, including
two grandchildren, when she fell and badly injured her right leg on
Monmouth beach west of the town.
Coastguards ashore decided it was not
safe to carry the woman across stones and boulders and requested the
lifeboat to stand off. The lifeboat was launched at 3.03pmand returned to
the boathouse at 4.25pm. A coastguard helicopter took the woman to
hospital in Dorchester.
Two lifeboat crew members went ashore
to assist coastguards.
The woman’s son said: “We are very
grateful for the help my mother received from the coastguards and the
lifeboat crew.”
The family did not wish to be named.
13th
October 2018
Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat launches in Storm Callum
Lyme Regis lifeboat launched in rough
sea conditions on Friday (12 October) to a report of a person
in the water near Chesil beach.
The lifeboat volunteer crew responded
to a call from the Coastguard following a report of a person in
difficulties.
The crew were contacted by the
Coastguard at 3.35pm. Half an hour later the crew were stood down when a
local coastguard response team reported it was not a person in the water.
The alarm had been raised by a
member of the public and was recorded as a false alarm with good intent.
10th October 2018
Lyme Regis RNLI station – Mayoral visit
Lyme Regis lifeboat hosted Dorset Mayors at the station as part of the
Lyme Regis Town Councils Civic Day.
Lyme Regis Town Mayor Michaela Ellis welcomed about 40 Mayors, Chairman,
Deputy Mayors and other dignitaries from across the county as part
of Civic Day. The notable representatives were taken on a tour of the
lifeboat station, the lifeboat and tractor and received a presentation on
the importance of training and equipment required for the volunteer crew.
Nick Marks, Lifeboat Operations Manager said, “We were very happy to
welcome the representatives from Dorset councils which has enable us to
highlight contribution of our volunteers in saving lives at sea, RNLI
fundraising and promoting the wider RNLI initiatives for community
safety”.
10 October 2018
Tributes are paid to
Irene Roper, ‘a passionate volunteer’
Tributes have been paid to Irene
Roper, former chairman of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild, who
died during this year’s Lifeboat Week.
Irene was a member of the guild for
nine years and chairman for four.
She was passionate about Lifeboat
Week, in particular, and it is estimated that during her spell as chairman
no less than £156,000 was raised for the RNLI charity.
Irene moved to Lyme Regis from North
London eleven years ago. Her partner, David, died three years ago.
Irene had three sons, Matthew, Stuart
and Daniel and seven grandchildren.
In April this year it was announced
that Irene was to receive the RNLI’s Excellence in Volunteering Award. It
will now be accepted by her sister, Maggie and son Daniel at a ceremony in
London in November.
Irene was also a supporter of the
Royal British Legion.
As her sister, Maggie put it: ”Irene
loved volunteering for the RNLI and also worked in the shop. But she
absolutely put her heart and soul into Lifeboat Week.”
2 October
2018
Golden wedding couple
donate their ‘presents’ to RNLI
Donations to the RNLI come in all
shapes and sizes and for all sorts of reasons. And every one is greatly
appreciated by the charity that saves lives at sea.
The volunteers of the Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat crew received a cheque recently from Mrs Ann Rawlins living in
Borough Green, Kent.
She wrote:’ I had the dubious
pleasure of reaching my 70th birthday recently, and, even more
extraordinary, celebrating a golden wedding anniversary!
‘We asked for donations, in lieu of
presents, for the RNLI, a much worthier cause than us ! Most of our
friends have donated online, thus increasing the donation with gift aid.
‘I am sending the cheque to you as I
met my husband, Bryan, when I was eight and he was 11. We were both
members of the sailing club in Lyme Regis and he proposed to me at the end
of the Cobb !’
Mr. and Mrs. Rawlins were married at
Uplyme church and her parents retired to Lyme Regis. Her father, best
known as ‘Spud’ Taylor, was commodore of the sailing club.
18 September 2018
Lifeboat crew rescue
man as dinghy capsizes
One man was rescued by the volunteer
RNLI crew of Lyme Regis lifeboat when his vessel capsized on Sunday.
The lifeboat was launched at 4.30pm
after a concerned onlooker alerted coastguards when he saw the dinghy
capsize just outside the harbour.
Two members of the lifeboat crew
entered the water to assist the man and right the dinghy.
15
September
2018
Lyme Regis
‘Exhausted’ yachtsmen rescued by Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat crew
Two men reported to be exhausted aboard a yacht in storm force wind
conditions were rescued by the volunteer RNLI crew of Lyme Regis lifeboat
last night. (Friday).
The men, who were sailing from Salcombe to Portsmouth, were in
difficulties five miles south west of West Bay.
A lifeboat crew member boarded the 24ft yacht and assisted the men to sail
into West Bay harbour.
The lifeboat crew launched at 9.41pm and returned to Lyme Regis at
12.35a.m.
10 September
2018
Lifeboat Week sets an
all-time record with £34,000
Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis this year
has set an all-time record with a final total raised for the lifesaving
charity of £34,765.
Members of the organising group, the
Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild, along with lifeboat crew members,
heard the news from treasurer Brian Cursley at their meeting last week.
He said: ”It’s a terrific result, and
is £5,693 up on donations last year.”
Guild secretary Maggie Sullivan said
new events this year had proved very popular and despite poor weather at
the beginning – with just one or two events being re-scheduled – it had
been an exceptionally successful week.
The meeting heard that the Army’s
parachute display team, the Red Devils, had been extremely popular and
general feedback from the public had been ’terrific.’
The top ten achievers in relation to
donations and participation were the water or wine stall, the programme,
fireworks display, breakfast baps, the duck race, Red Devils, the book
stall, yard of ale, name the yellow welly dog and the swimming challenge.
Guild chairman Ken Lavery said: “
The hard work and dedication of all our volunteers has produced a
remarkable result this year and the RNLI – the charity that saves lives
at sea - will be proud of their efforts.
“The generosity of all those visitors
and residents who donated to our charity must also be praised.
“But there was also sadness, and we
pay tribute to Irene Roper, former chairman of the Guild, who died during
this year’s Lifeboat Week.
“She worked tirelessly for our
charity for several years and was passionate, in particular, about
Lifeboat Week. We are delighted that Irene’s sister, Maggie, is
continuing as secretary of the guild because, as Maggie says, that is what
Irene would have wished.”
15 August 2018
Lifeboat launched to
broken down yacht
The volunteer crew of Lyme Regis’
RNLI lifeboat to-night answered their 22nd call for help so far
this year from two men aboard a 21 foot yacht with engine failure.
The crews’ pagers sounded the alarm
at 7.25pm, and the lifeboat was quickly alongside the yacht a short
distance east of the harbour.
The lifeboat crew towed the yacht to
the safety of the pontoons just outside the harbour.
7 August
2018
RNLI Lyme Regis
lifeboat assists broken fishing boat 4 miles south of Lyme Regis
Lyme Regis
lifeboat launched yesterday (Monday 6 August) to a report of a broken down
small fishing vessel.
Lyme Regis lifeboat volunteer
crew were tasked to assist the Coastguard with a stranded fishing vessel
with two people aboard. The boat was reported to be 4 miles south of Lyme
Regis.
The volunteer
crew were quick to launch after being contacted by the Coastguard at
6.20pm to assist a fishing boat that had suffered power failure. The
inshore lifeboat headed south from Lyme Regis to the position of the
stricken vessel. The crew set up a tow and were soon back in Lyme Regis
harbour where the casualty boat was recovered. The lifeboat was back in
the station by 7.30pm.
Jon Broome, helm of the crew said: 'It was a quick and efficient recovery
of the fishing boat and the crew worked well as a team to ensure the
safety of the casualty.’
28 July
2018
Lifeboat Week first days hit by rain and
high winds
Rain and high winds on the opening
weekend of Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week caused the postponement of at least
two major events.
Today (Saturday) the swimming
challenges for adults and children were postponed because of high winds
and choppy seas. They will now be held at 7pm and 7.30pm on Friday.
The bathtub race on Sunday was also
postponed because of poor weather in the forecast and will now be
held at 6pm on Thursday.
The welcome display by Lyme Regis
RNLI lifeboat was held today but without the Shannon class lifeboat from
Exmouth. Her volunteer crew were called out this morning to assist a 25
foot yacht which had been dismasted. They towed it to safety in West Bay
Harbour.
25 July 2018
Lifeboat launched to
two incidents
Volunteers at the RNLI lifeboat
station in Lyme Regis dealt with two incidents today (Weds).
The lifeboat was launched at 2.36pm
after reports that two people were possibly in difficulties on an
inflatable and in a kayak 400metres off Freshwater east of Lyme Regis.
The lifeboat crew established that a
man and a woman who were both still at sea were safe and not in trouble.
As the lifeboat crew were returning
to Lyme Regis harbour they were asked to assist a couple aboard a 42 foot
yacht. A mooring chain had wrapped around the rudder. The crew released
the chain and then towed the yacht to a safe mooring.
The Lyme Regis RNLI volunteers have
now answered 17 calls for help so far this year.
10th
July 2018
Colyton Vintage
Tractor run presentation
The volunteer crew of Lyme Regis
lifeboat were involved with the Colyton Vintage Tractor run earlier this
year. Nearly 120 vintage tractors made their way from Colyton to Uplyme
via Whitford, Musbury, Combpyne, Cannington viaduct and Lyme Regis
The
Colyton Tractor run is an annual event and this year the monies raised was
split between the RNLI
and The League of Friends Axminster Hospital.
Crew from Lyme Regis were in Uplyme
to welcome the participants and drivers on a very hot May bank holiday.
Pictured Colyton Vintage Tractor run
committee Arthur Parsons, organiser of the Tractor run presenting a
donation of £1750 to Seb Cope from Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat station and
Kevin Salter presenting a donation of £1750 to Dr Barry McKenna from the
League of Friends.
30 June
2018
Couple rescued by Lyme Regis lifeboat crew
after speedboat is swamped by waves
Plans
for a barbecue and a night camping on the beach went disastrously wrong
last night for a young couple.
A man
and his girlfriend in their 30s, from Colyton, were trying to beach their
14ft speedboat when it was swamped by waves and holed on rocks at Charton
Bay, west of Lyme Regis.
They
were rescued by the volunteer crew of the Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat after
the man raised the alarm with his mobile phone. The lifeboat crew were
paged to launch at about 1030pm
The
speedboat’s skipper, who did not want to be named, said:’ We both tried
for about two hours to get the water out of the boat, but in the end it
was a write-off and I had to call for the lifeboat.
“We had
set up the barbecue, but I am afraid we never got anything to eat. We were
very relieved to see the lifeboat crew who did a great job.’
The
couple were taken to safety from the beach by the lifeboat crew who also
pumped out the speedboat and towed it into Lyme Regis harbour at 1145pm
10 June
2018
Lyme Regis RNLI
lifeboat rescues eight divers
Lyme Regis lifeboat launched
yesterday morning to a report of a broken down 6 metre dive boat.
Lyme Regis lifeboat volunteer
crew were tasked to assist the Coastguard with a stranded diving vessel
with eight people aboard.
The volunteer crew were contacted by
the Coastguard at 11.45am to assist a dive boat that had suffered power
failure. The Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat headed south from Lyme Regis for
approximately 3 miles to the position of the stricken vessel. The crew set
up a tow and returned the boat with the divers to the safety of Lyme Regis
harbour.
Peter Glanvill, Chairman from The
Lyme Bay Sub Aqua Club said “We enjoyed a fantastic dive photographing the
marine life on the wreck ‘Heroine’ with club members and some divers
visiting from Leicester but it was a tad embarrassing when the engine
would not start! We are extremely grateful to the RNLI for arriving so
promptly and towing us back to Lyme.”
Lifeboat helm Tom Wallis said: 'The
crew were very proficient which enabled a quick recovery for the divers
and their boat”
29 April 2018
Penny farthing pair cycle for charity
Penny farthing
enthusiasts and football fans Seb Cope and his father Alistair cycled from
Derby County’s ground to Aston Villa at the weekend for a charity close to
their hearts.
Seb, 35, a
member of the RNLI lifeboat crew in Lyme Regis, and Alistair, 59, from
Seaton, raised more than £200 for the Aston Villa Foundation community
charity during their 50-mile cycle ride.
Seb, whose
great, great grandfather was born just yards from Villa Park, said:”We
cycled on roads, paths and canal towpaths and had a greet reception from
people along the way, and especially football fans.”
On the way to
Aston Villa the pair stopped at the National Arboretum where Seb paid his
respects at the RNLI memorial.
At the end of
their journey they watched Aston Villa draw 1-1 with Derby County.
Seb and
Alistair regularly organise vintage cycle events, and the next one, Velo
Vintage, is at Seaton on June 30. For details go to
www.velovintage.co.uk
25 March 2018
RNLI Lyme Regis lifeboat assists broken
fishing boat 30 miles south-west of Portland
Lyme Regis lifeboat launched this morning (Sunday 25 March) during a
training session to a report of a 6 metre broken fishing vessel.
Lyme Regis lifeboat volunteer crew were tasked to assist the Coastguard
with a stranded fishing vessel with two people aboard. The boat was
reported to be 30 miles south-west from Portland.
The volunteer crew were on a routine training session when contacted by
the Coastguard at 9.50am to assist a fishing boat that had suffered power
failure. The Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat headed south from Lyme Regis for
approximately 18 miles to the position of the stricken vessel. The crew
set up a tow and 2 hours later were back by West Bay where the helm of the
lifeboat Jon Broome had to carefully negotiate manoeuvring around the
dredging machine currently in the harbour.
Dave from North Devon, one of the rescued men said: ‘We were so relieved
to see the lifeboat heading towards us and we are very grateful for our
safe recovery.’
Jon Broome, helm of the crew said: 'It was a great opportunity to put the
training into action and the crew worked well as a team to recover the
boat and men safely.’
24 February 2018
Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat launched twice in
night
After
returning to the lifeboat station at 11.45pm last night (Friday 23rd), the
volunteer crew launched again at 02.15 this morning to continue the search
for the reported missing man.
Senior
helm Tim Edwards, in the operations room at the lifeboat station, said:
‘After a report from the police helicopter we were asked to carry out a
search about 300metres off the West Bay piers, but found nothing.
‘Our
four crew members then waited in the West Bay coastguard station for the
arrival of the coastguard helicopter. We then resumed the search at about
5am, but it was called off around an hour later.’
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.
2017
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
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.’
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.
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.
21st February 2017
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.
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 cre.”w
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.”
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.
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