What's On in Lyme Regis

6 August 2017

Two ‘shouts’ for Lyme Regis lifeboat crew

Volunteers who crew the RNLI lifeboat in Lyme Regis answered two calls for help yesterday (Sat).

The first was to a small inflatable dinghy with one man aboard reported to be drifting out to sea near Eype holiday park.

The lifeboat crew, who launched at 6.56pm, found the man was safe and in control of the dinghy and were stood down by coastguards at 7.20p.m.

Just over three hours later the inshore lifeboat was launched again following reports of a fishing boat taking in water and sinking  seven miles south of West Bay. Weymouth all weather lifeboat was also on  scene along with the coastguard helicopter. The fishing boat, with two men on board,, was stabilised and towed to Weymouth harbour

The Lyme Regis lifeboat crew, who had launched at 10.19pm., were stood down at 11pm and returned to the lifeboat station at 11.30pm

30 July 2017

Lifeboat Week beats the weather with hope of £20,000

Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis came to a soggy end in heavy showers yesterday (Sat), but organisers are confident of a significant boost for RNLI funds.

The Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild, whose members plan the week, believe donations to the life-saving charity will be in the region of £20,000.

Only two events – the cricket match and the Friday night fireworks display – had to be called off because of the weather.

Irene Roper, who is retiring as chairman of the guild after five years, said:  ’Visitors, residents and traders have been very generous as usual. It has been a great team effort.  But there have also been some superb individual achievements.

‘One classic example is 13 year old Josh Denning, who raised no less than £473 with his collection bucket and help from his family.’

The week ended with a performance by the shanty singers, Harbour Voices of Lyme Regis.

There were two surprises to come as the week officially concluded.. Irene Roper was treated to a celebration get-together with other volunteers to mark her retirement as chairman.

And Emma Hughes, from Whitchurch Canonicorum, joined the celebration to hand over a cheque donation for £420 raised at her recent 40^th birthday party.

She said: ’I wanted to raise money for the RNLI as an active member of Bridport Gig Club and my dad is a keen fisherman with a boat at West Bay.

‘I asked all my guests not to bring a birthday present but to make a donation to the RNLI.’
 

27 July 2017 

Sylvia gets a lifeboat week surprise

Supporters  of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild – organisers of the town’s Lifeboat Week –sprang a presentation surprise on a retiring member today (Thurs).

Sylvia Marler was a member of the guild’s committee for 18 years and has just retired.

A tea party and presentation was held at the lifeboat station in Sylvia’s honour. Sylvia received an award for excellence in volunteering and   a letter praising her efforts from Leesa Harwood, the RNLI’s Director of Community Lifesaving and Fundraising.  The presentation was made by the guild’s chairman Irene Roper.

25 July 2017

Family of four and dog rescued as yacht sinks

A family of four and their labrador dog were rescued this evening (Tuesday) by the volunteer crew of Lyme Regis lifeboat after their yacht was swamped by waves and sank at Charton Bay, west of Lyme.

The yacht was being sailed from Lyme Regis  by Joe Coles,56,from East Coker, Yeovil. Also on board were his wife Tania, sons Theo,9, Hector,19, and their 14 month old Labrador Suki.

Mr Coles said: ”We had been having a picnic and were close to shore.  Suki would not get on the boat. We got out of the boat to get the dog and two big waves hit the yacht and pretty much sank it.

“We were all safely ashore but wet and cold, and very pleased when we saw the lifeboat. The whole thing was Suki’s fault, really.”

The family had left Lyme in the 18 foot vessel, called Llewellyn, just as the Red Devils were giving their display as part of Lifeboat Week.

The  lifeboat crew brought the family back to the safety of Lyme Regis. Later it was decided it was too unsafe to tow the stricken yacht back to Lyme Regis. The lifeboat crew secured the yacht by anchor a quarter of a mile off Pinhay Bay. This was the 13^th shout for the Lyme Regis crew so far this year.

The lifeboat had launched from the slipway at 6.50p.m.just as the Lifeboat Week charity auction was under way in the boathouse.

But later the water polo match between the lifeboat crew and the lifeguards was affected by a shortage of players. A depleted lifeboat crew team lost by a large margin, according to players.

25 July 2017

Lifeboat week off to a flying start

Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis got off to a flying despite  heavy showers on the first two days.

Irene Roper, chairman of the organisers, the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild, said: ”The weather, to start with, was not brilliant, but we have had great support.”

Irene, who is retiring as chairman after five years, once Lifeboat Week is over, added: ”Visitors and residents, in fact the whole town, have been incredibly good to us and all indications are that we will raise a substantial sum for our life-saving charity.”

The fire and rescue demonstration last night (Monday) was preceded by the presentation of a 20 year long service and good conduct medal to Lyme Regis fire chief Virgil Turner

The demonstration, watched by a large crowd, involved a scenario in which an explosion had occurred filling the lifeboat station with smoke.  Firefighters  from Lyme Regis and Charmouth then ‘rescued’ three ‘casualties.’

24th July

85  competitors took part in the fun run.  winner holidaymaker Ross Jones, 37, completed the the 3k run in7mins 16secs. The lifeboat crew lost the tug of war across the harbour entrance by two pulls to one. They were beaten by a combined team from Lyme Regis Sailing Club and the town's football club. 

23 July 2017

A soggy start for lifeboat week

Heavy showers and squally conditions got Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week off to a soggy start yesterday (Sat).

But the first day’s programme was not affected and started with the launch of a new book on the history of a voluntary lifeboat service in the town from 1826 to the present day.

Among the many guests at the launch were Philip and Lisa Burgess who were rescued after the helicopter Philip was flying plunged into Lyme Bay in dense fog  on Easter Monday 1999. Lisa was expecting their daughter Charley-Nicole at the time, and she was also at the book launch.

Dorset-based impressionist and actress Debra Stephenson officially started Lifeboat Week, holding an umbrella in the rain on Marine Parade, and the Eastern Promise belly dancers braved the showers to entertain a large crowd.

The RNLI crew of Lyme Regis lifeboat staged their traditional welcome display along with the coastguard helicopter and the day ended in relatively calm weather with the bathtub race.

Eight bathtub crews took part, and after winning the event six years running the Dorset firefighters were forced into second place by a young team representing Lyme Regis Sailing Club and Lyme Rib Rides. They established a big lead to win in their ‘vessel’ named Cat-Astropphe.

Despite fitting a two stroke engine to their bathtub –strictly against the rues-the six men aboard the lifeboat station’s entry almost sank and had to give up.

21 July 2017

Gym boss boosts lifeboat fund with a dance

A dance at Uplyme Village Hall organised by the owner of a gym and his wife has resulted in a bumper cheque for the RNLI in Lyme Regis.

Craig Bernhardt and his wife Sarah staged the dance to raise donations for the lifeboat charity and the Macmillan Cancer Trust.

The RNLI received £1,174 and the cancer charity a similar sum.

Craig, who opened the gym, B! Health and Fitness, two years ago said: ”It is not until you live or work in a town on the coast like Lyme Regis that you realise just how important the RNLI is”

16^th July 2017                                                            

Four rescued by Lyme Regis RNLI crew as powerboat 'drifts towards rocks'

Four people, including an 11 month old boy, were rescued by the volunteer crew of Lyme Regis lifeboat last night (Saturday) when their 32 foot powerboat broke down and was reported to be drifting towards rocks

The powerboat had suffered power failure off Beer Head. The lifeboat was launched at 6.27pm just 6 minutes after the crew's pagers alerted them to a mayday call to coastguards from the stricken vessel. The lifeboat crew reached the powerboat 20 minutes after launching and took it in tow.

On board were Tom Montgomery-Swan, 29, from Exeter, his wife Aisha, baby Edward, crew member Nick Dodge from Seaton and the family's pet dog Winston, a German pointer.

Tom said "The lifeboat crew arrived incredibly quickly and we were delighted to see them. We were 400 metres off Beer Head when our power failed and there was a danger that we might have drifted towards the rocks."

The life boat towed the powerboat, with its four 'crew'  to the safety of Lyme Regis harbour, arriving at 8pm. None of those aboard the powerboat needed medical attention.

14 July 2017

Lifeboat shop volunteers celebrate a new look

Volunteers who run the RNLI’s harbour-side shop in Lyme Regis today celebrated the completion of a total refurbishment of the charity’s outlet just in time for Lifeboat Week which starts on July 22^nd.

The shop was chosen for a make-over because  it regularly appears in the top five of all the lifeboat shops throughout the country.

Irene Roper, chairman of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild, cut the ribbon to mark the re-opening of the new look shop.

Emma Ludford, Retail Development Manager for the RNLI’s south region, said:”Lyme Regis was chosen as a flagship store because it is one of the most successful in the country.

“The RNLI’s faith in the shop is a tribute to the hard work of all the volunteers who run it.”

Volunteer manager of the store Krys Lavery said:”We are thrilled with the way the shop now looks, and delighted that the RNLI chose us for this major re-design.”

July  2017

Survivors will be guests at RNLI Lyme Regis lifeboat book launch

A couple who were rescued after their helicopter plunged into Lyme Bay and a woman in her seventies seriously injured on  rocks near Charmouth will return to Lyme Regis for the launch of a book which includes their remarkable stories.

Also among guests at the launch at the town’s lifeboat station will be the parents of a severely disabled young woman who died when her wheelchair fell into the harbour.

The book is part of a history project by the RNLI charity and tells the story of almost 160  years of a lifeboat service in Lyme Regis.

Author Richard Horobin, the lifeboat station’s volunteer press officer, said: “We are delighted that some people featured in the book will be coming back to meet their rescuers again, including lifeboat crew, coastguards and fishermen.”

Philip and Lisa Burgess were rescued after the helicopter Philip was flying crashed in dense fog on Easter Monday 1999. Lisa was pregnant at the time, although her rescuers did not know, and her daughter Charley-Nicole will be paying her first visit to Lyme Regis.

Mariola  Constandinou, from the Midlands,  was 71 when she slipped on rocks and was seriously injured near Charmouth in May two years ago and is looking forward to meeting her rescuers again. Mark and Paula Perkins, whose daughter Claire died when her electric wheelchair fell into the harbour will once again be visiting Lyme Regis to help with Lifeboat Week events and will also be at the book launch.

Also at the book launch will be John Bradley, the great great grandson of Thomas Bradley a coxswain of  the pulling and sailing lifeboats for 30 years, who joined the crew in 1851.

Dorset-based actress, impressionist and comedian Debra Stephenson will be opening Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week at 12.30pm on July 22^nd and will also be at the book launch. She co-starred in the BBC,s The Impressions Show with Culshaw and Stephenson and currently stars in   Radio 4’s Dead Ringers.
 

Richard will be on Marine Parade during the afternoon to sign copies of the new book.

24 June 2017

Lifeboat launched to ‘youngsters in trouble’

The volunteer crew of Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat and local coastguards were alerted today (Sat) after reports that   youngsters using an inflatable rubber ring  were in difficulty in the water near the town’s harbour.

The lifeboat was launched at the request of Solent coastguards who reported that two girls were in difficulty in the  Broad Ledge area east of the harbour. It later transpired that a boy had also been  in difficulties. The three youngsters, all aged 15, made their own way ashore.  The boy needed some attention for the effects of cold water. Otherwise all three were said to be safe and well. The lifeboat crew’s pagers sounded at 3.10pm and the lifeboat returned to harbour at 3.45pm

19 June 2017

Two rescued in broken down boat

Two men aboard a broken down boat were rescued on Saturday evening (June 17^th) by the volunteer crew of Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat.

The boat suffered engine failure two miles south of West Bexington. The lifeboat towed the 6metre vessel and its crew to the safety of West Bay harbour.

The lifeboat launched at 8.45pm and returned to Lyme Regis harbour at 10pm.

Lifeboat volunteers – their dramatic life and times in a new book

The life and times of Lyme Regis lifeboat men and women – and  the lifeboats themselves – are captured in a new book from the RNLI and due to be launched on 22 July, the first day of this year’s Lifeboat Week.

Written by the lifeboat station’s volunteer press officer, retired newspaper and BBC journalist Richard Horobin, the fully illustrated book is  part of the charity’s  history book project.

It tells how a makeshift lifeboat service started in the town in 1826, and how a Christmas tragedy led to  Lyme Regis getting a ‘proper’ lifeboat, powered by sails and oars, 27 years later.

With much help from local historians and lifeboat supporters, the author has brought to life a fascinating collection of stories about dedicated volunteers who ran a lifeboat service in the town, despite all the odds, over a period of nearly 160 years. How they would row the lifeboat for hours to reach a stricken vessel….no twin 115hp engines such as power today’s lifeboat.

There is the crew member who was shipwrecked eight times as a mariner; the coxswain who served the lifeboat for 34 years and was famed for his strength, picking up a man with one arm and placing him on a table. He also salvaged a huge barrel of alcohol from a shipwreck and carried it single handed up a cliff !

The story of an MP who vanished without trace over Lyme Bay after being trapped in a hot air balloon makes incredible reading. The dramatic episode when a ship was torpedoed by a German submarine a short distance from Lyme Regis harbour, and yet had  an amusing twist amid the tragedy and chaos.

And in more recent times the amazing survival of a couple whose helicopter crashed into Lyme Bay in dense fog;  the tragic tale of the severely disabled woman whose wheelchair fell into Lyme Regis harbour and the desperate attempts made to save her.

There are the lighter moments, too, such as the crew Christmas dinner when the annual awards are presented…including the Bent Propeller trophy !

The story of Lifeboat Week,  from the early 70s, includes the ditching of a Navy helicopter in the sea, which wasn’t part of the event, although the hundreds who witnessed it thought it was.

The new book will be available from the lifeboat shop on the Cobb and other outlets in the town, from 22 July price £8.95 with all proceeds going to the RNLI,  the  charity that saves lives at sea.

20 May 2017

Debra Stephenson to launch lifeboat week

Dorset-based actress, comedian and impressionist Debra Stephenson will officially declare open this year’s Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week on 22 July.

As an impressionist Debra is, perhaps, best known for her co-starring role in BBC One’s The Impressions Show with Culshaw and Stephenson.  As an actress Debra, from Poole,  played Shell Dockley in Bad Girls, the feisty Frankie Baldwin in Coronation Street and Diane Powell in Playing the Field.

She  also plays major parts in BBC Radio 4’s Dead Ringers and ITV’s Newzoids

Debra, who owns a speedboat with her husband James, said they were  looking forward to coming to Lyme Regis, and plan to make it a family day out with children Max,14, and Zoe, 10.  Debra added: “My husband enjoys our small boat for fishing, and so far we have not had to call out the RNLI. But it’s very comforting to know the volunteer crews are there if we need them.”

Debra will launch Lifeboat Week at 12.30pm on 22 July on Marine Parade.

On July 28^th Debra will be performing her Night of 100 Voices show as part of her current tour at the Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne.

25 May 2017

Dive Boat Towed

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched this evening  to assist a broken down dive boat with 13 people aboard two miles south of West Bay.

21 May 2017

Boats are blessed in the sunshine at Lyme Regis

Dozens lined the slipway in the sunshine at the RNLI lifeboat station in Lyme Regis today to join the annual Blessing of the Boats service.

The inter-denominational service, hosted by local clergy the Rev. Chris Woodman and the Rev. Keith Vivian, acknowledges and blesses those who go to sea professionally, or for fun, and remembers those who have lost their lives to the waves.

Representatives of the town’s gig,  sailing, and powerboat clubs took an active part in the service along with the volunteer lifeboat crew.

A poem written and read to the congregation by 11 year old Millie-Jade Ellis, daughter of recent lifeboat recruit Mark Ellis, drew appreciative applause.

Woodroffe School pupil Millie called her poem ‘What the Sea Means to Me. She wrote: ‘The sea feeds me and excites me. It can take me to new countries aboard a ship. Sailing away on a really long trip.  The sea is fun but sometimes rough. This is when I need to be careful and not act tough. If I am ever in trouble. Call the lifeboat at the double. So do not be afraid just be safe at sea.  That is what the sea means to me.’

The service ended with the local club members and the Royal British Legion presenting wraths to the lifeboat crew who then took the wreaths aboard the lifeboat to be laid at sea.

18 May 2017

Dory rescue

Two people aboard a small dory class boat were rescued today by the crew of the Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat after their vessel suffered engine failure.

They were two miles south of West Bexington when the problem arose and the lifeboat crew towed the dory to the safety of West Bay harbour. 

14 May 2017

Lifeboat launched to ‘drifting yacht’

Emergency calls to coastguards turned out to be false alarms with good intent when the crew of Lyme Regis RNLI launched the lifeboat this evening (Sun).

A 20 ft yacht with two people aboard was reported to be drifting towards rocks near the mouth of the River Axe.

When the lifeboat crew arrived on scene it  was clear that the yacht, with two people aboard, was not in difficulty.

The lifeboat was launched at 6.57pm and returned to harbour at 7.35pm.

12 May 2017

How a yellow welly and a penny farthing set out to boost lifeboat charity

A lifeboat crew member on a penny farthing bicycle, a vintage Jaguar, the RNLI’s mascot Stormy Stan and more than a hundred schoolchildren all took part in the Lyme Regis stage of the marathon journey of a yellow welly yesterday (Fri).

The illuminated welly is being relayed all along the south-west coast  as part of the RNLI’s Mayday fundraising campaign during which the charity hopes to raise £750,000 towards the cost of the kit lifeboat crews have to wear.

Members of the Sidmouth branch of the RNLI brought the welly to Lyme in a 1967 S-type Jaguar. It was delivered to pupils at St. Michael’s School, Lyme Regis, and they handed it over to lifeboat crew member  Seb Cope who arrived at the school on his penny farthing bike with the RNLI mascot Stormy Stan.

Seb and Stan then took the welly to Lyme Regis lifeboat station.

Today (Sat) the welly was taken by the Lyme Regis lifeboat crew to Portland Bill where it was handed over to the three-masted tallship TS Pelican and later collected by RNLI volunteers from Weymouth  to continue its journey.

12 May 2017

All invited to Blessing of the Boats

The annual Blessing of the Boats service will be held at the RNLI lifeboat station in Lyme Regis on Sunday  21^st May.

The open air, inter-denominational service, starting at 3pm, will be led by Baptist Minister the Rev. Chris Woodman with the Rev Keith Vivian, and visitors and residents are invited to take part.

The service is held every year on Rogation Sunday to remember those who have given their lives at sea.

This year the service will be supported by the town’s gig, sailing  and powerboat clubs.  At the end of the service three floral wreaths and a poppy wreath from the British Legion will be taken aboard the RNLI lifeboat and laid at sea.

8 May 2017

Yellow welly fund raiser to get a lift on a penny farthing

A yellow welly will be driven to Lyme Regis in a vintage car on Friday (May 12), delivered to children at a local school and then taken by penny farthing bicycle to the lifeboat station.

It’s all part of the RNLI’s Mayday fundraising campaign during which the charity is hoping to raise £750,000 towards the kit lifeboat crews have to wear such as lifejackets, helmets…and yellow wellies.

The yellow welly coming to Lyme started out at Portsihead in Somerset and has called at lifeboat stations around the south west with RNLI volunteers organising their own forms of transport for the iconic footwear,

It will arrive by vintage vehicle with members of the Sidmouth RNLI Guild. They will hand it to children at St Michael’s School and the children will then give it to lifeboat crew member Seb Cope, who rides a penny farthing bicycle in his spare time. Seb will then take the welly to the lifeboat station accompanied by the RNLI mascot, Stormy Stan.

The following day the welly will be taken aboard the Lyme Regis lifeboat before making its way to Weymouth.

Adrian Ragbourne, volunteer Deputy  Launching Authority with the RNLI in Lyme Regis, said:”We were determined to play our part in the welly relay, and we thought it would be bit of fun to involve the children, and, of course our penny farthing cycling crew member !”  THE YELLOW WELLY IS DUE TO ARRIVE AT ST. MICHAEL’S SCHOOL AT 2.30PM ON FRIDAY.  

07 May 2017

Lone sailor drifting in sailboat rescued by RNLI crew

A lone sailor whose sailing boat was drifting near Charmouth was rescued by the volunteer crew of Lyme Regis RNLI yesterday (Sun).

The lifeboat was launched after reports that the ‘clinker’ style wooden boat had problems with its mast and outboard engine and was drifting in the Black Ven area east of Lyme Regis.

The lifeboat crew towed the broken down vessel to the safety of Lyme Regis harbour.

RNLI volunteers had been paged at 4.14pm and the lifeboat, Spirit of Loch Fyne, was launched six minutes later. This was the fifth emergency call for the lifeboat crew so far this year.

23 April 2017

Rescue helicopter exercises with lifeboat crew and coastguards

The coastguard helicopter crew taking over search and rescue duties from the team based at Portland dropped in to Lyme Regis today (SUN) to meet the volunteers of the RNLI and the land-based coastguards.

Coastguard helicopter 175 based at Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire, and its crew of four landed on Woodroffe School’s playing field to give the lifeboat and coastguard  teams a chance to familiarise themselves with the new aircraft, and to exercise winching into and out of the Augusta 189 eight seater.

Coastguards and the lifeboat crew were shown all over the helicopter by the aircraft’s captain Simon Cree, co-pilot Will Warboys, winch operator Ritchie Waterton and winchman Rob Sanches.

Capt. Cree, a former Seaking pilot with the RAF, said the £26m coastguard helicopter’s endurance is three and a half hours with a top speed of 130/135 knots.

He added: ”The visit to Lyme Regis is all about hearts and minds and learning how best we can work together in the future.”

John Broome, volunteer training co-ordinator at Lyme Regis lifeboat station said: ”This exercise was invaluable. We have had a thorough explanation of the capabilities of the new helicopter by its crew. We have already exercised with this helicopter at sea, but to get to close quarters with the aircraft and its crew on land is just a very useful bonus and prepares us for any future incidents when we will need to work together as a team.”

9 April 2017
 

‘Three and a dog cut off by tide’
 

Three people and a dog were reported to be cut off by the tide when the Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched today (Sun).

The volunteer lifeboat crew launched at 12 20pm and returned 20 minutes later after the people and their dog made their own way to safety from rocks on Broad Ledge east of the harbour.

6 April 2017

Fund-raisers boost RNLI charity by £65,000

Volunteer fund-raisers in Lyme Regis and Charmouth boosted the RNLI’s income by more than £65,000 last year.

Members of the local fund-raising arm of the RNLI – the Lyme Regis and Charmouth  RNLI Guild - received the news at their annual meeting last night (Weds) when treasurer Brian Cursley delivered his report.

The total included a variety of events and donations as well as £27,000 raised during  lifeboat week.

Chairman Irene Roper said it had been a record breaking year and she had been heartened by the many messages of congratulations received from the public during and after lifeboat week.

Volunteer manager of the lifeboat shop, Krys Lavery, said the outlet had taken £122,000 and was the sixth best performing shop in the UK.

In his annual report to guild members, Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks said volunteer crew members had answered 27 calls for help last year and were credited with saving three lives.

He said there now appeared to be a familiar pattern of emergencies – almost half of calls for help were from people getting into difficulty ashore when out walking and cut off by the tide or falling on rocks.  The other half were incidents involving boating, fishing and surfing.

Guest speaker was Nigel Jones, the RNLI’s Area Lifesaving Manager, who told guild members about many changes throughout the organisation’s structure and the aim to reduce drownings around the coast.

Volunteer press officer Richard Horobin gave members a brief preview of his book on the history of lifeboats and lifeboat people in Lyme Regis.The book is due to be published in time for this year’s lifeboat week which starts on July 22^nd.

5 April 2017

Town’s lifeboat returns after three month refit

 Lyme Regis’ RNLI lifeboat, Spirit of Loch Fyne, returned to the town yesterday (Tues) after a major, three month refit in Poole and at the charity’s inshore lifeboat centre on the Isle of Wight.

The four year old boat was met by volunteer crew as it arrived by road on a trailer after its upgrade.

Lifeboat helm Elliott Herbert took the boat to sea for a test run, and said: ”We are very impressed with the refit which includes state of the art navigation equipment, directional finder and an automatic information system.”

Mark Gage,the lifeboat’s mechanic added:”The vessel performed beautifully during the sea test. She has been fitted with new steering and the engines are running very well. It’s a pleasure to have her back in such superb condition.”

The relief boat, Douglas Murray, was returned to Poole once Spirit of Loch Fyne had completed the sea test..

3 April 2017

Four lifeboats in search exercise

Four volunteer lifeboat crews – one each from the RNLI stations at Lyme Regis and Exmouth and two from the independent  Sidmouth station – took part in an exercise lasting some three hours yesterday (Sun).

The operation, officially known as a Multi Vessel Search Exercise, took place off Sidmouth and included towing and search patterns.

Brian Street, helm of the Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat : “This was a large and important exercise for everyone involved and I  know we all found it a valuable experience.”

27 March 2017

Lifeboat crew exercise with new search and rescue helicopter

Volunteer crew members of the RNLI lifeboat in Lyme Regis have taken part in their first exercise with the helicopter team assuming the search and rescue role in the next few weeks.

The helicopter crew, from Lee–on–the–Solent, Hampshire, are due to take over from those based at Portland.

Two lifeboat crews took part in the exercise during their regular training evening last week.

Helm Jon Broome, who is also the lifeboat’s training co-ordinator, said:” The exercise was very worthwhile.

“I spoke to the helicopter captain afterwards and he said he was very impressed with the skill and competency of the lifeboat crew, and explained that was why he was felt happy to lower a winchman to our boat during the exercise.”

20 March 2017

Coastal Review team visits Lyme Regis RNLI

Top officials of the RNLI today (Monday March 20) met volunteers who run the Lyme Regis lifeboat station as part of the charity’s ‘Coastal Review.’

A delegation led by Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence spent two hours discussing the running of the lifeboat station and hearing the views of  management, crew members and fund-raisers  as well as their hopes for the future.

Sir Tim, who is chairman of the RNLI’s Operations Committee, explained that he and his colleagues visit four sections of the organisation each year during the Coastal Review.

He said a key focus was the gap between Exmouth and Weymouth, and that the charity’s target of community lifesaving had two strands…to make sure all volunteers were closely linked with the lifeboat and crew, and education and prevention to make the coast even safer.

Sir Tim said the RNLI saved 350 lives a year, but between 150 and 180 died around the coast each year.

After discussing ideas for improvements to the Lyme Regis station and its equipment, Sir Tim praised the fundraisers – the local RNLI Guild and the lifeboat shop team – as ‘star performers.’

Nick Marks, volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager, said: ”The Coastal Review was a great opportunity for us to explain how we work as a part of the community and with the coastguards and lifeguards and to make our recommendations for improvements to our operation.

“The delegation now take our comments back to headquarters in Poole for thorough consideration.”

13 March 2017

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat station gets a makeover

The RNLI’s lifeboat station in Lyme Regis is undergoing a makeover to make it a more interesting attraction for visitors.

Facts and figures, photos of the crew and historic detail are all part of the project led by the RNLI’s Visitor Experience Manager Amanda Woods

with input from Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks and volunteer press officer Richard Horobin.

Part of the exterior of the lifeboat station has been re-decorated in ‘RNLI blue’ with new identity boards, including invitations to visit the boathouse. Inside, visitors will find plenty of detail about the role of the  life-saving charity and models of historic boats.

Amanda Woods said: ’The RNLI  values its supporters and appreciates that  they are  interested in the work of  its volunteers.  Lyme Regis welcomes many thousands of visitors every year, so we wanted to improve our presence in the town by making a visit to the lifeboat station a more rewarding experience.’

Volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks said: “The timing of these improvements to the overall look of our lifeboat station could not be better with summer and, of course, Lifeboat Week not far away.”

12 March 2017

Lone sailor rescued by Lyme Regis lifeboat crew

The owner of a classic 22ft wooden yacht was rescued by the crew of the Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat yesterday (Sat).

The lone sailor, from Bridport, was reported to have ‘encountered navigational difficulties’ two miles west of Lyme Regis during a trip from Exmouth to West Bay.

The lifeboat volunteers, who launched at 3.24pm, towed the yacht to the safety of Lyme Regis harbour, arriving an hour later.

6 March 2017

The Paras  freefall team will drop in on Lyme Regis RNLI Lifeboat Week

The Red Devils – the British Army’s official parachute display team – have confirmed they will be a star attraction at this year’s Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week.

The week starts on July 22 and the Red Devils will be performing during the afternoon of Tuesday July 25 . The time will be confirmed later.

The Red Devils, based at Netheravon Airfield on Salisbury Plain, are a team of 15, all of whom have seen active service in the Falklands, Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan or Iraq.

They are widely acknowledged as among the best display parachutists in the world, and every year carry out spectacular shows at public events worldwide promoting the British Army and the Parachute Regiment, known as ‘The Paras’.

A classic Red Devils display will see up to ten team members jumping from an altitude   of 10,000ft.  Trailing smoke to demonstrate their speed and movement, the highly skilled skydivers will freefall at speeds up to 120mph before opening their parachutes. Then they will demonstrate breathtaking  high-speed ‘swoop’ landings and spectacular ‘canopy formations’, both unique to parachute displays in the UK.

A commentary will keep everyone informed throughout the event, and the skydivers will be available afterwards to meet spectators.

Irene Roper, chairman of the organisers of Lifeboat Week, the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild, said: ”We are absolutely delighted that the Red Devils are coming to support our charity. They will be a big attraction in the middle of our fund-raising week.”

21st February

TV presenter Jeremy Kyle popped into Lyme Regis lifeboat station during Sunday morning's training session and met the RNLI crew. He said he was very impressed with the RNLI volunteers and that his mother used to be  a volunteer in the lifeboat shop on the Cobb..  He said he liked Lyme very much and that he had his first birthday in the town some 50 years ago and has been visiting the resort ever since. 


20  February 2017

Lifeboat launched in search for ‘vulnerable’ woman

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched just after midnight today to assist coastguards and police in a search for a woman reported as ‘vulnerable.’

The volunteer lifeboat crew carried out a shoreline search between West Bay and Freshwater, but there were no sightings and they returned to Lyme Regis after nearly two hours at sea.

19 February 2017
 

Shop volunteers praised for dedication to lifeboat charity

Volunteers who run the RNLI charity shop next to the lifeboat station in Lyme Regis have  celebrated another successful year.

More than thirty people enjoyed a buffet lunch at the Hunters Lodge, Raymonds Hill, and heard that their shop had been placed sixth  in the ‘league table’ of hundreds of lifeboat shops around the country.

In a letter to the volunteers, the RNLI’s Retail Operations Manager, James Thompson, praised their ’incredible hard work,  dedication and skill.’

He said the RNLI’s shops had reached an income of £6,300.000. in 2016.The English Channel division, of which Lyme Regis is a member, had a record breaking income of £1,000.405.

Two presentations for Excellence in Volunteering, were made at the Lyme Regis lunch. Carys Lowe received  a framed certificate and letter of thanks for her 15 years as secretary of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild.

Ross Bennett was presented with a crystal award marking his 23 years as a volunteer in the shop and collector during Lifeboat Week. The RNLI’s letter to Mr. Bennett mentioned how people would seek him out on Red Arrows day in Holmbush car park to hand him a donation.

Mr. Bennett has now decided he can no longer work in the shop on a regular basis, but will  remain on the reserve list.

17 February 2017

Store donates a Fat £600 to Lyme Regis lifeboat

Staff at the FatFace store in Lyme Regis have donated more than £600 to the local RNLI lifeboat charity.

The donation was raised during Black Friday weekend in November last year. Staff members added £40 to the £562 raised in store..Under the ‘Thanks for Giivng’ initiatve the FatFace chain nationally donated some £200,00 to charities from its 221 stores.

In Lyme Regis the store chose the RNLI as its charity. Store manager Kayleigh Billson said:” We organised  a few extra competitions to help raise money for our fantastic lifeboat station, a cause dear to everyone in Lyme and beyond.”

17 February 2017

Ex - Army chief joins the RNLI lifeboat crew in Lyme Regis
                           

A retired Lieutenant Colonel with the Royal Engineers has joined the volunteer management team of the RNLI in Lyme Regis.

Mike McAlpine, 61, served in many trouble spots including Kuwait, where he commanded a construction squadron involved in the restoration of essential facilities to Kuwait City immediately after the unsuccessful invasion by Iraq, and the ‘clean up’ of unexploded bombs and landmines.

Mike, a chartered civil  engineer and graduate of Queen’s University, Belfast, spent 20 years in the Royal Engineers, had two spells in the Falklands and commanded a regiment in Northern Ireland for three years before becoming the technical authority for UK counter landmine warfare.  Mike, married to Karen with three daughters, moved to Lyme Regis from Dalwood, near Axminster, in 2014.

His last job was with BP in Iraq where he was involved in opening up the second largest oilfield in the world at Rumaila, south of Basra.

Mike, a keen sailor with his Yachtmaster ‘ticket’ has become a DLA – Deputy Launching Authority – at Lyme Regis lifeboat station.  He said: “I spent a lot of time on the water and it was always comforting to know the RNLI was there if necessary.  Since I missed the camaraderie of the military, I thought I would offer my voluntary services to the RNLI and I am thoroughly enjoying it.”

A member of Lyme Regis Golf Club, Mike chairs the Axminster Hospital Community Hub Steering Group and was a founder member of the Axminster Patient Group.

Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks said: “We welcome Mike to the management team.  His wealth of experience will be an asset, and his arrival has added even more strength to the Lyme Regis crew.”

15 January 2017

Lifeboat crew start the year with awards

Members of the RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew  in Lyme Regis and their families and friends got the new year off to a celebratory start with their annual awards dinner.

The event at the By the Bay restaurant yesterday (Sat) was attended by around 70 crew members and their guests.

Among the awards was a long service certificate to landscape gardener Garry Gibbs, a crew member for 20 years. Senior helm Tim Edwards was voted crew member of the year, and the much coveted bent propeller trophy went to helm Mark Colley.

A new award, Anchor Aweigh, went to tractor driver Richard Beviss.

Another new award, for their conscientious ‘office’  work, went to John Cable and Mark Gage.

13 January 2017

Top surgeon joins Lyme Regis RNLI crew

A leading cancer surgeon has joined the volunteer crew of the RNLI lifeboat in Lyme Regis.

Mr Ken Lavery, a retired  head and neck surgeon, has joined the local RNLI team as a Deputy Launching Authority (DLA).

Mr Lavery, 67,who recently retired as lead surgeon and Medical Director at Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, West Sussex, is married to Krys who manages the team of volunteers running the successful RNLI charity shop on the Cobb.  They met at the hospital where Krys was a senior ward sister and have two sons.

Scots-born Mr Lavery is a qualified Yachtmaster and has strong family connections with the RNLI.  Both his grandfather and great grandfather were volunteers with the lifeboat at Campbeltown that covers  the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland.  Mr Lavery said: “I am thoroughly enjoying my involvement with the lifeboat crew in Lyme Regis.  “They are clearly a dedicated team and the camaraderie is very similar to that which I found when I was involved in rugby.”

10 January 2017

RNLI crew swap boats for a refit

The volunteer crew of the RNLI lifeboat in Lyme Regis said a temporary farewell to their vessel yesterday (Mon) as Spirit of Loch Fyne left the town for an upgrade of its equipment.

The four year old lifeboat was taken on a trailer by road and will eventually have a refit at the RNLI’s Inshore lifeboat centre on the Isle of Wight.

Lifeboat mechanic Mark Gage said: ” Our boat is due for an upgrade of its electronics ,including communications and navigation equipment, and will be away for about three months.”

As Spirit of Loch Fyne left, a replacement boat, number B830 and named Douglas Murray, arrived from the RNLI’s relief fleet.

9 January 2017

Dave is ‘dunked’ as he retires from Lyme Regis RNLI

One of the longest-serving members of the volunteer crew of the RNLI lifeboat in Lyme Regis, Dave Street,  has retired because of work commitments.

Dave, 48, served for 22 years, starting as trainee shore crew and becoming one of the team of helmsmen 15 years ago.

Dave joined the crew for two main reasons. He was working as a barman in the Cobb Arms when he overheard crew members saying they were short of volunteers. “The other reason was more personal “ said Dave. “A cousin of mine drowned at Bournemouth and I thought if there was anything I could do to prevent such accidents then joining the RNLI was it.”

Dave, a self-employed builder, added: “Of course I shall miss taking the lifeboat out, and the camaraderie with the crew.  But I won’t lose touch with all my old colleagues.”

Dave’s last voluntary duty with the crew was helping out with safety at the Lyme Lunge on New Year’s Day.

And his lifeboat colleagues gave him a thoroughly wet send off with a ceremonial dunking in the sea.

8 January 2017|
 

Ordeal in the dark for broken leg victim rescued by lifeboat crew

A man who broke his leg after slipping on rocks staggered and crawled for three quarters of a mile for more than two hours in the dark before he was found by a lifeboat crew and his worried wife.

Tim Robinson,54, fell during a walk at about 4.30pm yesterday (Sat) on the beach under Golden Cap, east of Lyme Regis.

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat crew launched at 7.10pm to assist coastguards in a search for Mr Robinson.  They located him during a shoreline search eight minutes later.

Two first-aid trained  crew members, Tom Crabbe and Tom Wallis, went ashore to help coastguards assess Mr Robinson’s condition.  Meanwhile   the lifeboat returned to Lyme Regis to pick up three further crew to steady the vessel in the surf when it was beached to take Mr Robinson aboard.

Mr. Robinson’s wife, Paula, who raised the alarm,  started to walk along the beach from Seatown looking for her husband.

She said: ”Luckily, Tim had a torch but no mobile phone. I saw a flicker of light and thought it must be him. But I picked up a rock, just in case it wasn’t  !”

 Jon Broome, who was in charge of the lifeboat for his first ‘shout’ since qualifying as a helm, said: ”It was a very well organised rescue by all involved. It seems Mr. Robinson used sticks  to help him stagger and crawl towards Seatown after the injury.”

From his hospital bed in Dorchester Mr Robinson, who is a full time member of the Territorial Army, said: ”I just slipped on a rock and have two fractures of the right leg.  Everyone who helped me was just terrific.”

Mr Robinson was taken aboard the lifeboat to a waiting ambulance at Lyme Regis harbour. The lifeboat returned at 8.49pm

Mr and Mrs Robinson, from the Derby area, had been staying in Bridport on a short holiday.

25 December 2016

Charmouth swim is a crowd puller

One of the biggest crowds in its 20-plus years history turned out on a mild Christmas Day morning for the Charmouth fancy dress swim

An estimated 2,000 watched as around 250 ‘swimmers’ braved the chilly waters of Lyme Bay in costumes ranging from penguins, to dinosaurs and of course to Santa.

The event raises funds for the RNLI charity, and chairman of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild Irene Roper said: ”The support this year was just fantastic, and those who took part in the swim and the spectators have been very generous once again.” The swim raised £1,933 for the RNLI, which included £400 in donations from the sponsors Karen Phillips and Ian Hendry of the Royal Oak pub, Charmouth.
 Volunteer crew members of the RNLI in Lyme Regis kept a watchful eye on the ‘swimmers’ and one long-serving member Garry Gibbs said: “It was great fun and there were some wonderful costumes. We are very grateful for the support we receive for our charity.”

11 December 2016

New man at the helm of Lyme Regis lifeboat

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat has a new man at the helm after crew member  Jon Broome  passed a  tough assessment with flying colours.

Jon, a volunteer with the Lyme Regis crew for 26 years,   achieved  a 90% result…80% is the pass score. He had been training for some three years.

He is now one of six helms, fully qualified to take charge of the lifeboat and its crew at sea.

During his assessment last week, Jon was  tested by the RNLI’s Divisional Operations Manager Nigel Jones in a scenario involving a vessel on fire with casualties on board and in the water. The assessment, in poor weather conditions at sea, took almost two hours.

Said Jon:  ”Safety of the crew is paramount during an emergency call. As a helm I have to go to sea with a crew of three and I have to bring us all back safely. And, of course, I have to deal with the emergency and rescue any casualties.”

Jon, 49, an office manager with Royal Mail, is married to Emma and they have a daughter Sophie, ten.

“I have had a big grin on my face since qualifying as a helm, and I must thank my family who, like other volunteers with the lifeboat, receives fabulous support from  loved ones, ” said Jon.

7 December 2016

‘Pamper’ evening raises £200 for RNLI

A ‘pamper evening’ for Dorset business women produced a £200 donation for the RNLI charity in Lyme Regis.

The Lyme Bay Ladies – a group of around a thousand women in business throughout Dorset and Devon-held the pamper evening at the Dower House Hotel, Rousdon, enjoying an evening of topics including jewellery, clothing and make-up.

The cheque was presented to Lyme Regis lifeboat crew member Seb Cope by the hotel owners Rosemarie Baker and her husband Neil.

30 November 2016

Teens ‘amazing’ six months with RNLI crew

Four teenagers have just completed six months learning what it takes to be a volunteer member of the RNLI crew in Lyme Regis.

The youngsters, all from Year Ten at the town’s Woodroffe School, were carrying out the volunteer element of the bronze certificate for the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.

The 14 year olds are Tyler Street, Freddie Whitehead, Charlotte Tucker and Alicia Briggs-Harrison.

They attended the twice monthly lifeboat crew training sessions and were instructed by Deputy Launching Authority Ian Marshall and helm Brian Street. Mr. Marshall said:” They were all very attentive and enthusiastic, and I think some of them may be future crew members. We dealt with tying knots, navigation, launch and recovery of the lifeboat and much more. But I think the most exciting part for them may have been the trip in the lifeboat.”

Student Tyler Street said: “It has been an amazing experience and good fun, and maybe one day I will follow my dad and my uncle and become a member of the lifeboat crew.”

All four also held their own fundraising events and presented the Lyme Regis RNLI crew with a donation of £317 at their final training session last night (Tues).

16 November 2016

Bowlers roll up a boost to RNLI funds

Members of Lyme Regis Bowling Club raised £300 for the RNLI  when they staged their annual drive and raffle event which has been held for more than sixty years.

Club president Philip Stephens presented the donation (yesterday) to Krys Lavery, volunteer manager of the RNLI’s charity shop on the Cobb.

6 November 2016

Lyme Regis Sailing Club supporting local RNLI

On 14^th October, Lyme Regis Sailing Club hosted a fish and chips dinner evening raising money for the RNLI with a particular focus on showing support to the local lifeboat in Lyme Regis.

Organised by keen sailing club members Paul and Gillian Bryant and local fish and chip shop Herbie's, over 50 people from the sailing club enjoyed local fish and chips. The event was well attended by members and their families.

Paul Bryant was very pleased with how the evening went, thought it was a brilliant evening. "The sailing club was full with both junior and senior members of the club, about 50 meals were served and we raised £261 for the RNLI, nearly enough to buy a new helmet!"

They are definitely planning to make it an annual event.  Lyme Regis Sailing Club is an active and open club to all who desire to sail or have an interest in the sport.

Lifeboat launched to ‘missing swimmer’

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat crew launched for the second time today following a report that a person had entered the sea fully clothed at Seatown.

The crew, launched at 5.48pm, carried out a shoreline search and one crew   member went ashore to liaise with coastguards and the person who reported the incident.

It was later established that the person had returned to the clothing and had left  the scene.  The lifeboat was stood down at 6.25pm.

4 November 2016

Two men and a dog saved as their boat sinks

Two men and a dog were saved by the volunteer crew of Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat today after their fishing vessel sank off the Dorset coast.

The men told the lifeboat crew were hauling pots when their boat, Tracey, listed and sank within seconds some 13 miles east of Lyme Regis off West Bexington.

The lifeboat was launched at 11.57, and was joined in a search for the men by around five other vessels and two helicopters.

It’s understood an Royal Navy Lynx helicopter first spotted the men in the water.  The lifeboat raced to the scene and found the two men and the dog close to each other in the water. The men were wearing lifejackets and oilskins and were also using a life ring.

It’s thought they had been in the water for around 40 minutes. All three were taken aboard the lifeboat and given immediate first aid.  One man was winched up to the coastguard helicopter and it’s understood he was taken to hospital in Dorchester. The lifeboat crew took the other man and the black labrador called Lottie to West Bay.

Both men were said to be cold and exhausted.

A member of the lifeboat crew, Mark Colley, said: “Thank goodness they were found fairly quickly. But staying together and wearing lifejackets undoubtedly saved their lives.”

2 November 2016

Lifeboat crew rescue fire chief after Mayday

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat crew answered a Mayday call today from the town’s fire chief.

Virgil Turner was fishing from his 21ft open sports boat when it began to take on water a quarter of a mile offshore between Lyme Regis and Charmouth.

The pump on Mr Turner’s boat, At Last 11,failed and the lifeboat crew used their salvage pump to control the water level.

The lifeboat crew, who launched at 8.39a.m., towed At Last 11 to the safety of Lyme Regis harbour at  9.03.

Deputy Launching Authority at the lifeboat station, Adrian Ragbourne, said: ”This was a very fast and efficient rescue.  Mr Turner did exactly the right thing in issuing a Mayday call and he was very grateful for the prompt actions of our volunteer crew.”

30 October 2016

Lifeboat  volunteers search for new crew

Wanted -  two more volunteers to help run the RNLI lifeboat station in Lyme Regis.

The vacancies are for Deputy Launching Authorities – DLAs – who are members of the management team of the station and who authorise the launch of the lifeboat when an emergency call comes in.

Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks is looking for male or female volunteers who live within ten minutes of the harbour.

He said: “Ideally we need people with some maritime experience with an understanding of tides and coastal issues.

“But there’s plenty of training, including a week-long course at RNLI headquarters in Poole”

DLAs provide cover four days at a time on a rota. When a request to launch the lifeboat is received by a DLA he, or she, is then in charge at the station.

Nick Marks added: “There’s a good team spirit at the station and plenty of social events.  Obviously we are all volunteers, so instead of being paid we get a free pager for alerts and a free pair of yellow wellies !”

DLAs are regarded as members of the crew and are expected to attend training sessions which are held twice a month.

Anyone interested in joining the crew as a DLA should contact the station on Lyme-Regis@rnli.org.uk or call 01297 442230 and leave a message or call Nick Marks on 07568 187582.

17 October 2016

Sailing club fish supper lands cash for lifeboat

Friday night was fish supper night at Lyme Regis Sailing Club, and it raised in the region of £250 for the RNLI.

With the help of Herbie’s fish and chip shop, organisers Paul and Gillian Bryant made sure around 50 diners enjoyed the traditional dish.

Another fish supper in aid of the RNLI was held by Petrina and Chris Muscroft at their holiday chalet in Lyme Regis. Salmon salad and fish finger sandwiches were  included in  the menu.

Pic: Jack Tomas Young, Herbie's representative & sailing club member, Paul Bryant, Gillian Bryant, LRSC Commodore Jerry Rook & Lyme Regis RNLI DLA Ian Marshall

14 October 2016

Tracey Emin print raises £1,100 for RNLI

An original print donated by the artist Tracey Emin to Lyme Regis RNLI has raised £1,100 for the life-saving charity.

The work, described as a mono print, failed to reach its reserve but was sold by Lyme Bay Auctions to a private collector in the southwest.

Simon Watson, managing director of Lyme Bay Auctions, said: “We were delighted to be able to sell the print for the RNLI. It did not reach its reserve on the day, but through our publicity, including the internet, we were contacted by a private collector who was delighted to purchase it.”

Chef Mark Hix helped to obtain the print and RNLI volunteer John Dover sought permission from the Tracey Emin studio to sell it at auction.

Lyme Bay Auctions say they are already planning their appearance next year at a special event during Lifeboat Week.

7 October 2016                                                                                   Lyme Regis

Lifeboat Week raises £27,000

Lifeboat Week this year raised £27,000, the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild announced this week.

Members of the guild – who organise the week with the volunteers of the  lifeboat crew – were given the final figure by treasurer Brian Cursley at their monthly meeting.

Chairman of the guild Irene Roper said:” This is a quite remarkable figure, and a testament to all those volunteers who help us organise seven days of family activities.

“ The weather was pretty kind to us and once again visitors and residents of the town were incredibly generous to our life-saving charity. And it is always heartening when people come up to us during the week to thank us for the effort we put in to make the week a success.

“The final net sum is particularly tremendous when you consider we were unable to afford the Red Arrows or the Falcons parachute display team.”

Members of the guild are already planning next year’s  week which will run from July 22^nd to 29^th.

3 October 2016                                                                                   Lyme Regis
 

Lifeboat launched to ‘missing person’

Lyme Regis lifeboat was launched at 2.33pm today after a report that a person was in the water and missing from an open fishing boat off Burton Bradstock.

Shortly after the RNLI  crew had launched  the West Bay harbour launch reported that all aboard the fishing boat were safe and well and the lifeboat was stood down by coastguards at 2.48pm.

30 September 2016                                                                            Lyme Regis

Lifeboat crew alerted after clothes found on beach

Coastguards requested the launch of the RNLI lifeboat at Lyme Regis today after a member of the public found a pile of clothes and an unattended dog on the beach at Charmouth.

The volunteer crew were about to launch the lifeboat at 9.46am when the owner of the clothes, and the dog, returned to the beach safe and well after a recreational swim. The lifeboat crew were stood down at 9.52am.

26 September 2016                                                                            Lyme Regis

Lifeboat chief  in safety video shoot in Lyme

The man at the helm of the RNLI dropped in at the lifeboat station in Lyme Regis today ….to shoot a health and safety video.

Paul Boissier, chief executive of the charity, is aiming to raise awareness of the dangers surrounding everyone involved in activity for the RNLI.

“Whether it’s travelling to the lifeboat station, operating machinery or even holding a fund-raising event we all need to be aware of the dangers around us,” said Mr Boissier.

“We need to make sure we arrive with eight fingers and two thumbs and go home with the same number.”

Mr.Boissier was shown round the lifeboat station by Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks as they discussed potential dangers for the video which will be distributed throughout the RNLI.

25 September 2016                                                                            Lyme Regis

Awards for retiring lifeboat crew

Three former volunteers with the RNLI lifeboat in Lyme Regis and one new recruit received awards at the crew’s end of season party.

Former helm Martin Croad who served for 15 years was presented with the RNLI’s framed  certificate on vellum. He was credited with helping to save 47 lives during his service.

Jedd Whittington received a letter of thanks for his five years’ service, and John Dover, who was a Deputy Launching Authority and is now chairman of the local group which manages the lifeboat, also received a letter of thanks.

A new recruit to the crew, Mark Ellis, was presented with his emergency pager.

The presentations were made by Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks. More than a hundred crew members, family and friends attended the party at the Powerboat Club.

25 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.

22 Sept 2016                                                                           Lyme Regis
 

Lifeboat launched in search for missing man
 

The volunteer crew of Lyme Regis lifeboat launched to-night to assist police and coastguards in the search for a man missing and in a reportedly distressed state.

The lifeboat  launched at 7.38pm and the crew carried out a shoreline search of the Monmouth beach area to the west of Lyme Regis harbour. Nothing was found by the crew, and the search was called off after some 15 minutes when it was understood that the man had been found safe and well ashore.

8 Sept 2016                                                                             Lyme Regis

Supermarket boosts lifeboat funds

A weekend of fundraising at Tesco’s Axminster store resulted in donations of £358.75p for the lifeboat charity, the RNLI.

The weekend was organised by the supermarket’s Community Champion Rob Cope.

A total of 27 Tesco stores, mainly throughout Somerset and Devon, took part in the weekend  and the combined donations are expected to total more than £10,000.

8 Sept 2016                                                                             Lyme Regis

Lifeboat launched to false alarm

Lyme Regis’ RNLI lifeboat crew launched last night after a member of the public reported a  speedboat in possible difficulties a short distance outside the harbour.

Two men aboard the speedboat were found to be fishing and in no difficulty. The incident was recorded as a false alarm with good intent.

4 Sept 2016                                                                             Lyme Regis

Nikky qualifies for the lifeboat crew

The only female volunteer at the RNLI lifeboat station in Lyme Regis has just become a fully qualified member of the sea-going crew.

Nikky Williams, 22, became a probationer crew member in July last year and completed her training on Tuesday last week (Aug. 30).  Her final training session at sea was to assess her competence in the use of the lifeboat’s radar system. Her assessor was Will Elwood, the RNLI’s divisional trainer.

Nikky, a sailing instructor, said :”I am very pleased to have finished my training to become a fully qualified member of the crew. I really enjoy the challenge and look forward to working with the Lyme Regis team and playing my part when we answer emergency calls.”

One of the long-serving members of the crew, senior helm Tim Edwards, said: ”Nikky has done well in her training and was helped by her experience as a sailing instructor. She will be a valuable addition to the crew and we hope her example will encourage more female volunteers to come forward.”

Nikky is only the second female member of the Lyme Regis lifeboat crew. The first was Grace Wadsworth who joined when she was 17 in 2008.  She left after six years to go to university and travel. 

20 August 2016                                                                                   Lyme Regis
 

 Dinghy sailor rescued as gear fails

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched last night  when a  Laser dinghy with one person aboard suffered gear failure just outside the harbour.

The dinghy, and its sailor, were towed to safety ashore by the lifeboat crew.

The lifeboat was launched at 6.57pm and returned to harbour some twenty minutes later.

16 August 2016                                                                                   Lyme Regis

Lifeboat launched after cliff fall 

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was on a training exercise tonight when it received two emergency calls within a few minutes.

The first call was to a broken down fishing boat off Beer, but before the lifeboat crew reached it coastguards asked them to divert following reports of a major cliff fall at West Bay.

Sidmouth’s independent rescue boat was launched to tow the fishing boat into Lyme Regis harbour while the RNLI crew headed for West Bay.

The Lyme Regis lifeboat crew carried out a coastline sweep in the area of the cliff fall, assisting coastguard teams ashore.

The call to West Bay was received by Lyme Regis RNLI at 7.55pm, and coastguards stood the crew down at 9.28pm..

31 July 2016                                                                           Lyme Regis

Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week raises £25,000 for the life-saving charity

At the end of a week of sunshine, and some showers, organisers of Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis announced that they had raised in the region of £25,000 for the RNLI charity.

Irene Roper, chairman of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild, whose volunteers organise the week every year, said: “It is a great result and we are so grateful to all those who gave  so generously during the week.

“ We also owe a great debt of gratitude to  those groups who gave their time and their talent to help us stage some superb events, ranging from the Eastern Promise belly dancers  to the Weymouth and Portland Model Boat Club and the Three Counties Swing Band to those brave souls who took part in the bathtub race and the swimming challenge.”

The duck race saw 1,140 little plastic competitors cheered on by hundreds watching from the banks of the River Lym and no less than eight thousand tickets were sold at the wine or water lucky dip stall. Dozens of youngsters met members of the lifeboat crew, and their parents took advantage of a photo opportunity aboard the lifeboat.

Irene Roper added:” We must thank all our sponsors, including local traders who donated so generously to so many of our events.

“And, of course thanks to our volunteer collectors and committee members without whom the week simply could not happen.”

28 July 2016                                                                           Lyme Regis

Rosie remembered in Lifeboat Week

The parents and sisters of 11 year old Rosie Perry Jones handed out the prizes at the  pavement artists’ competition which was dedicated to the memory of the youngster.

Rosie died from ovarian cancer last year, and the Nottingham school she was about to attend sent a donation of £1,500 to Lyme Regis RNLI because she always loved her many family holidays in the town.

Rosie had also entered, and won, the pavement art competition a number of times, so the organisers decided to invite her family to Lifeboat Week.

And today Rosie’s mum, Diane, dad Guy and sisters Jessica and Millie were also presented with a  gift – an embroidered heart bearing Rosie’s name – made by the organiser of the competition, Tammy Garner.

Arrows Cheque

A cheque for £1,500 was today donated to the RNLI's Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis. It was presented by Phillip Evans, of the View From newspaper group who organised the Red Arrows visit to the town last week, two days before the start of Lifeboat Week. Mr. Evans handed the cheque to the RNLI mascot Stormy Stan on the lifeboat slipway. Far left is John Dover, chairman of the Lifeboat Management Group and far right is Irene Roper, chairman of the Lifeboat Week organisers, the local RNLI Guild.

24 July 2016                                                                           Lyme Regis

Firefighters win the bath tub race for a sixth time

A team of Lyme Regis firefighters won the bathtub race for a sixth successive year on the first day of the town’s Lifeboat Week yesterday (Sat). But it was the lifeboat crew members in their bathtub and the Colyton Butchers family trio who made the headlines.

Seven bathtubs set out from Cobb Gate aiming for the finish in the harbour. The Colyton bathtub with a crew of three – Mrs Sarah Bolton and her son Dan and daughter Chloe - began to drift some distance from the finish.

The lifeboat crew decided to tow the butchers tub using a rope of bunting, and all three members of the Bolton family chose to swim the rest of the way with Dan clinging to a tub. Mrs Bolton received brief treatment once ashore.

Dan Bolton said: “We started to drift quite badly, and we were pleased the lifeboat crew helped us out. I think we might have a bigger crew next time.”

The firefighters were presented with the Perry Marine cup by Mrs Enid Perry and second prize prize went to Axe Skip, whose bathtub was made from the contents of several skips.

In third place were Sink and Swim and fourth Kersbrook Banger/Chaos with the lifeboat crew fifth, towing Colyton Butchers. Seventh place went to the bathtub called Heavy Treble.

23 July 2016                                                                           Lyme Regis

Lifeboat Week gets off to a sunny start

Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week got off to a sunny start as thousands packed the town and the seafront. For the first of dozens of special events.

The first major display involved the town’s lifeboat, Spirit of Loch Fyne, the Shannon-class lifeboat based at Exmouth and named R and J Welburn

and the coastguard helicopter

The lifeboats staged a winching exercise before showing their paces and manouvreability.

Next up were the belly dancers known as Eastern Promise who entertained a large audience on Marine Parade.

Last planned big event of the day was the bath tub race.

Two bonus events have been announced for Tuesday…a fly past by RAF Puma helicopters at 1.30pm, and before that at 11.30am a flypast by a Royal Navy Merlin helicopter from RNAS Yeovilton.

20 July 2016                                                                           Lyme Regis

Sea Anglers land £1000 cheque for RNLI

Members of Seaton Sea Anglers Club staged their annual barbecue at the Axe Yacht Club… and crowned the occasion by presenting a cheque for £1,000 to Lyme Regis RNLI.

Chairman of the club Steve Wainwright said: “We are all aware of the great job done by the volunteers of the RNLI, and raising donations for them is our way of contributing to that umbrella which we all hope we never need to open.”

Lyme Regis RNLI is the Sea Anglers designated charity and since it was formed the club has raised more than £13,000, the vast majority going to the RNLI.

Steve Wainwright added:”The barbecue was a great success due to the generosity of SSAC members their partners and friends and not least the Axe Yacht Club who supported the event.”

7 July 2016                                                                             Lyme Regis

‘Unique’ rug is latest auction lot

A rug, described as having a unique design, has been donated by Axminster Carpets to the grand auction in Lyme Regis’ Lifeboat week.

The auction, with many interesting lots, is being held at 6pm on July 26^th at the lifeboat station.

The rug was presented to the organisers of the auction, Gerry and Peter Hampton, at the last meeting of the local RNLI Guild before Lifeboat Week, which starts on July 23^rd.

The rug was handed over to the Guild by Maggie Sullivan, sales administrator at Axminster Carpets, who is also the new secretary of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild.

Other outstanding lots  at the auction include a £100 voucher for Mark Hix’s restaurant and the print depicting the lifeboats of Lyme Regis which has been adapted for the cover of this year’s Lifeboat Week souvenir programme.

7 July 2016                                                                             Lyme Regis

Archie, 11, wins school contest for lifeboat charity

Archie Sowerbutts, 11, gave a presentation on the history of the RNLI to the rest of his school….and then handed a donation to the life-saving charity.

Archie, a pupil at Chard School, last night 6 July) presented a cheque for £59 to Nick Marks, the Lifeboat Operations Manager in Lyme Regis.

Archie said: ‘I am very interested in lifeboats and the RNLI and one day I may join the lifeboat crew.’

4 July 2016                                                                             Lyme Regis

RAF helicopters will mark lifeboat week first day

A flypast of RAF Puma helicopters will be part of the opening day of Lyme Regis’ Lifeboat Week on July 23^rd.

The local RNLI Guild, organisers of the week, reacted with delight at the RAF’s gesture. At the moment no time has been announced for the flypast.

Chairman of the Guild, Irene Roper, said: “We do not have the Red Arrows in Lifeboat Week this year so this is tremendous news.

“We fully understand that this is a flypast but it is a most valuable contribution to the opening day of our week for which we are truly grateful.

“The RNLI in Lyme Regis has received tremendous support from the RAF over a number of years and we are delighted that this will enable us to maintain the link between our charity and the air force.”

24 June  2016                                                                              Lyme Regis

Kayaker plans 360 mile paddle for charity

Marathon kayaker Roy Beal, a 44 year old auto electrician from Seaton, will be visiting Lyme Regis during Lifeboat Week just days before he sets off to paddle 360 miles from the Thames to his home town.

Roy and his 17 foot sea kayak will be appearing on Marine Parade on the first day of Lifeboat Week – July 23^rd – as he seeks more sponsors for his charity paddle, which starts on July 29^th from Tower Bridge.

He is raising money for three charities including the RNLI during his journey which he estimates will take three weeks. He plans to call in at as many lifeboat stations as possible on the way.

He will be passing ports such as Dover and Portsmouth and tidal races including Beachy Head and Portland Bill.

Roy said:’ Sleeping arrangements will vary from the wilds of beach camping to camp sites and, with any luck, the occasional bed and breakfast.’

1 July 2016                                                                             Lyme Regis

Lifeboat Week musician Jimmy Purvis dies, aged 91

One of the most popular entertainers and fundraisers for many years at Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis, Jimmy Purvis, has died at the age of 91.

Jimmy could be found every year on Cart Road, close to Jane’s Café, with his melodium and collection bucket. 

Over the years Lifeboat Week organisers estimate that Jimmy raised thousands of pounds for the RNLI charity. He had to give up playing and his last Lifeboat Week  performances were in 2013.

Jimmy was often accompanied by his wife, Jessie who died last year. Some years ago his efforts were officially recognised with an award from the RNLI.

Jimmy and his wife followed their daughter and son in law, June and Mike Burke,and their grandchildren to the west country from Hertfordshire in 1990 and settled in Lyme Regis.

Chairman of the  local RNLI Guild, Irene Roper, said: ’The crew and the Guild were deeply saddened to hear of Jimmy’s passing. He was a truly lovely man and a committed volunteer, always cheerful and welcoming to everyone. Lifeboat Week hasn’t been the same without him, and we will remember him with affection for the joy he brought supporting the RNLI’s pledge to save lives at sea.’

27 June 2016                                                                          Lyme Regis

RNLI stall is a winner at the big show
 

Volunteers from the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild won a top prize at the Axe Valley Show.

Their stall, organised by Brian Cursley, Gerry Hampton and her husband Peter won the Best Presented Charity Stand awarded by sponsors Axe Skips.The trio were presented with a certificate and a £50 cheque.

The RNLI stall also included a wine and water raffle and a children’s lucky dip.

24 June 2016 
                                                                         Lyme Regis

A lifeboatman called ‘Myrtle’ leaves the crew after 15 years

A lifeboat crewman  known to everyone as Myrtle has left the volunteer team in Lyme Regis after serving for 15 years.

Myrtle – real name Martin Croad – was at the helm of the lifeboat for five years. Martin,37, his wife Kerry and children Bradley,3, and Phoebe,7, recently moved to Seaton which meant  he had to leave the lifeboat crew.

Martin said; “I leave with mixed feelings. They are a great bunch at the lifeboat station, a terrific team who all pull together when it really matters.

“No two shouts are ever exactly the same, and it’s going to feel very strange not putting my pager on my belt in the morning and keeping it close by all through the night.

“My family have  been fantastic. I have left food on the table when my pager sounded the alarm, and I even left clothes at the launderette on one occasion.”

Martin joined the crew after going through a traumatic experience. He was aboard a fishing boat whose crew found a body. Afterwards he found difficulty in going back to sea, But after encouragement from friends at the lifeboat station he applied to join the RNLI crew.

In 2007 he broke his wrist rescuing a man from the sea. The RNLI wrote a letter of thanks for ‘answering an emergency well above the call of duty.’

Martin was also a member of the Lyme Regis RNLI flood rescue team.

And that nickname ? “There was a local radio station that featured an old lady called Myrtle Haybaler.Members of the crew heard her.  I had a farming background and somehow the name of Myrtle just stuck. If anyone calls me Martin I know I am in trouble,” said Martin…er Myrtle.

18 June 2016                                                                          Lyme Regis
 

Lifeboat Week plans are finalised

Plans have now been finalised for this year’s Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis, thought to be the 44^th consecutive year of the event in the town.

The detailed programme will be published towards the end of this month, and despite the absence of the Red Arrows, organisers are promising a week full of fun and interest for all the family.

Among the highlights on day one, July 23^rd, is the hotly-contested bathtub race, which was won for the fifth year running in 2015 by Dorset Fire and Rescue.

Town Crier Alan Vian credited the firefighters with a ‘world record’ time of eleven and a half minutes. However, organisers of the week, the RNLI Guild, are expecting more entries this year and plenty of determination from crews to take the title from the record breakers. One Guild member said: “The firefighters have had a good run, but it is now time for another crew to show them a clean pair of heels.”

Local fire chief Virgil Turner said: ”We feel we can beat anyone, but of course any other crew is welcome to try and stop us.  However, we have a plan A and a plan B, and they do not involve smuggling an engine on board !”

A talk by accomplished speaker  Paul Atterbury of the BBC’s Antiques Road Show will feature at Uplyme Village Hall on the second day, and tickets at £3 and £1.50 will be on sale at the lifeboat shop from July 4^th.

On Monday July 25^th the produce stall on Marine Parade will include judging for the Great Lyme Regis Bake Off Competition, in which entrants have made lifeboat-themed cakes.

A highlight on Tuesday is the Grand Auction at the lifeboat station. This was a huge success last year with the first appearance of a comedy duo of professional auctioneers, Simon Watson from Lyme Bay Auctions and Harry Ballin, from Windsor. There will be plenty of eye-catching lots, including a superb rug from Axminster carpets and a £100 voucher for Mark Hix’s Oyster and Fish restaurant.

The week includes all the favourites, the duck race, tug ‘o war across the harbour mouth and yard of ale.  And there is plenty of music including for the first time the much-admired Three Counties Swing Band.

12 June 2016                                                                          Lyme Regis

Motorcyclists ride in with £400 for lifeboat

Twenty motor cycle enthusiasts rode into town today (Sunday), parked their treasured machines and presented the volunteers of the RNLI in Lyme Regis with a cheque for £410 for the life-saving charity.

The riders are members of the Bath Classic Motorcycle Club and support a number of lifeboat crews in the south west, Including Lyme Regis.

Oldest machine making the journey to the Dorset coast was a 1955 Triumph and the newest a 2016 Yamaha.

19 May 2016                                                                            Lyme Regis

Farewell party for RNLI stalwart

Members of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild – the fundraising arm of the lifeboat charity – said a fond farewell to one of their long serving officials at a special party.

Carys Lowe has retired after 15 years as secretary of the guild, and the event was marked at a presentation evening at the Hunters Lodge, Raymonds Hill.

Carys, an art lover, was presented with membership of the National Gallery by guild chairman Irene Roper.  A letter to Carys from Angela Rook, Business Services and Support Director of the RNLI, said her commitment to the charity ‘has been greatly valued and admired by all.’

Irene Roper also praised the work of Janet Clayton who has retired as membership secretary after nine years.

14 May 2016                                                                            Lyme Regis

Lifeboat launched in search for ‘distressed woman’

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched today to carry out a shoreline search following reports of a distressed young woman on the coast between Seaton Hole and Beer.

The lifeboat crew carried out an extensive search, but there was no sign of the woman. Coastguards stood down the lifeboat crew at 11.44a.m. although they continued their search during their return to Lyme Regis harbour.The lifeboat had launched at 10.59a.m.

It was later established that a young woman was found in undergrowth just off the coastal path.

22 April 2016                                                                           Lyme Regis

Powerboat and gig clubs to join in boat blessing

Members of  the town’s powerboat club, the gig club and the sailing club

are all expected to take part in this year’s Blessing of the Boats service at the RNLI lifeboat station in Lyme Regis on Sunday May lst.

The inter-denominational service, led by representatives of local churches, starts at 3pm and all are welcome. Hymns will be accompanied by the Lyme Regis Town Band.  The service, to remember those lost at sea, will be attended by a large number of the volunteer lifeboat crew.

Wreaths will be carried by members of the three nautical clubs, and at the end of the service the wreaths will be taken aboard the lifeboat by  the crew.

The lifeboat, Spirit of Loch Fyne, will then be escorted into the bay, from the harbour mouth, by a powerboat to the wreath laying area at sea.   

 

17 April 2016                                                                           Lyme Regis

Five rescued from broken down powerboat

Five people – two men, two boys and a woman – were rescued today (Sun) by the volunteer crew of the Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat when their powerboat broke down two miles east of West Bay.

All five were taken aboard the lifeboat when their vessel began to take on water.

The lifeboat crew towed the powerboat to West Bay harbour where an ambulance was waiting to treat one man for the effects of cold. The lifeboat was launched at 4pm and returned to Lyme Regis harbour two hours later.

14 April 2016                                                                           Lyme Regis

Lifeboat fundraisers boost charity kitty by £54,000

A packed annual meeting of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth  RNLI Guild – the local fundraising branch of the charity – was told it raised £54,678 last year.

Treasurer Brian Cursley revealed the figure at the meeting yesterday (Weds). Lifeboat Week alone raised more than £25,000 and that was without the RAF Red Arrows and the Falcons parachute team, both called off because  of the weather.

This year there will be no displays by the RAF teams during the week, but the Red Arrows are performing  on July 21^st, two days before the start of Lifeboat Week, thanks to a campaign spearheaded by Philip Evans, of the View From newspaper group and local businesses.

The Red Arrows could not have displayed during Lifeboat Week this year because of holiday  commitments, but in any case the RNLI Guild would have been unable to cover the costs – around £13,000.  For many years the Red Arrows and the Falcons have performed free of charge.

But there was  good news  when it was announced that Mr Evans would be arranging a donation of  £1,500 to the RNLI. Guild chairman Irene Roper said: “We are deeply grateful for this gesture. We were very sad that we could not get the RAF teams this year, but there is always the possibility that they may be able to visit us during Lifeboat Week in the future.”

Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks told the meeting that the volunteer crews answered 26 emergency calls last year and almost half were to people walking along the coast, cut off by the tide or stuck in mud. “A factor here is almost certainly the poor signage on beaches to the east and west of Lyme Regis and at Charmouth.”

Guest speaker was Alice Higgins, RNLI Lifeguard Supervisor for Weymouth and West Dorset. She said there was close co-operation between the lifeguards, coastguards and the lifeboat crews and joint exercises would continue. There will be 25 lifeguards, aged 18 and upwards, on duty in the region throughout the summer.

Krys Lavery, team leader for volunteers in the lifeboat shop, said she was looking forwa4rd to a bumper year. Last month the Lyme Regis shop was lying 12^th in the ‘league table’ of RNLI outlets.   

Two long serving members of the guild are standing down, Carys Lowe, secretary for 15 years, and Janet Clayton, membership secretary and a committee member for nine years.   Carys Lowe said that during her 15 years as secretary she had attended 169 lifeboat-related meetings, and worked in the lifeboat shop, acted as minute secretary and Lifeboat week event organiser. "The worst times have been the rainy event days, but the best were the success of Lifeboat Week and the team work of the committee and the crew."

3 April 2016                                                                             Lyme Regis
 

 Harry,8, visits his 111^th lifeboat station…in Lyme Regis

An eight year old boy from landlocked Cheshire is nearly half way to achieving his ambition….to visit all 200-plus lifeboat stations in the UK.

And yesterday (Sat) he chalked up number 111 when he popped into Lyme Regis lifeboat station with his mum and dad.

So far Harry has raised in the region of £2,700 on his travels using  justgiving.

At the Lyme Regis lifeboat station Harry and his parents, Jane and Tim Mascall were welcomed by Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks and several crew members. He was presented with an RNLI banner, a signed photo of the lifeboat Spirit of Loch Fyne, and a special crew shirt is on its way.

Harry said:  ‘When we went on holiday in Northumberland I could see the lifeboat, and that was when I became  interested, and we had the idea to visit lifeboat stations and raise money at the same time.”

Mum Jane added:” Harry is absolutely obsessed. We visit lifeboat stations during every school holiday. But the way we look at it is that we get to see some lovely places that otherwise we would not visit.

“Of course Harry wants to join a lifeboat crew when he is 17, but we will have to move house when that happens.”

Before Lyme Regis, Harry visited Plymouth lifeboat station. And where next ? “Well, Harry is very  keen to visit the lifeboat stations on the Isle of Wight,” said Mrs Mascall.

The address for donations is www.justgiving.com/harrymascall.

25 March 2016                                                                                    Lyme Regis

Lifeboat called to ‘trapped walkers’

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched to-night (Friday) following  a report of a group of people cut off by the tide in the Black Ven area east of the town.

The lifeboat was launched at 7.15pm and the crew carried out an extensive shoreline search east and west of Charmouth, assisting coastguards ashore and the rescue helicopter.

Nothing was found and coastguards stood down the lifeboat crew at 8.15pm

21 March 2016                                                            Lyme Regis

RNLI Lyme Regis launch to a mayday call early Monday morning

The coastguard received a mayday call early Monday morning to a fishing vessel taking on water. A mayday call means there is life in danger so the launch request went out straight away and was responded to by the volunteer crew at Lyme Regis.

The launch request went off on volunteer pagers at 7.51, some crew members were at work, some on their way to work and a few just waking up but all responded and the lifeboat was launched by 8.00 am and on it’s way to the fishing boat MV Charisma, roughly three quarters of a mile off West Bay.

The RNLI Lifeboat Spirit of Loch Fyne was on scene by 8.15 am  and fortunately the skipper of MV Charisma, Tom Copps of Bridport, had the situation under control and was pumping water out of the engine room. Two crew members from the lifeboat boarded the fishing with the RNLI salvage pump to offer assistance.  MV Charisma under it’s own power was escorted back to West Bay by the RNLI where she safely tied up and was met by the Coastguard.

With all safe and sound the Spirit of Loch Fyne returned to the lifeboat station at Lyme Regis where volunteer shore crew met the boat and in short order she was cleaned down, returned to the lifeboat station and reported as being back in readiness for any further incidents by 9.09 am.

Volunteer crew member Tom Wallis, one of the crew who boarded the MV Charisma said, ‘ it was all straightforward and the situation was pretty much under control by the time we arrived but clearly a mayday call where a boat is taking on water is potentially life threatening and it is great we can get launched and on scene so quickly. Fortunately we only had to play a supporting role in this instance’

11 March 2016                                                                                    Lyme Regis

Lyme Regis RNLI  lifeboat crew and coastguards rescue man trapped in mud

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat crew and local coastguards tonight rescued a man trapped up to his waist in mud on the beach under Golden Cap.

The lifeboat was launched at 5.55pm. Two crew members went ashore to assess the situation while the remaining lifeboat crew ferried five coastguards from Seatown to Golden Cap so that they could perform a mud rescue.

The 34 year old man was trapped for some two and half hours about ten metres from the water’s edge.

The man and his 32 year old female companion were taken by lifeboat to Lyme Regis harbour  and treated for the effects of cold by paramedics at the lifeboat station.

Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks said: ’This was a first class rescue operation, and a classic illustration of teamwork between our volunteer lifeboat crew and the coastguards.’

28 February 2016                                                        Lyme Regis

Shooting club target RNLI for donation

East Devon Field Target Club Secretary Jeremy stamp attended this Sundays training session at RNLI Lyme Regis to present a donation the Club had raised for the RNLI at one of their competition events

EDFTC organised a competition in December with all money raised to be donated to the RNLI Lyme Regis. The competition had local connections with Jeremy’s daughter being the partner of lifeboat volunteer crew member Dave Bisson. The connection didn’t stop there, Dave actually made the specially commissioned medals for the event at his workshop in Lyme Regis.

Jeremy told the RNLI, ‘we regularly have events where we raise funds for a charity and the RNLI with all their life saving work was an obvious choice. The event was very well supported with entrants from Truro to Bristol coming along for the day. Everyone was really impressed with the special RNLI medals Dave made for the competition’  Over £350 was raised on the day and the picture shows Jeremy presenting the cheque to the returning crew of the first boat out on training on Sunday morning

Volunteer Deputy Press Officer Eddie Browne said “It is wonderful to see the appreciation of the work the RNLI do from so many diverse sources and in this instance the personal connections make it even more special. Donations like these are the lifeblood of the RNLI and ensure the volunteers continue to receive the training and have the equipment they need to carry out their life saving activities’.

29 January 2016                                                                                 Lyme Regis

Former nurse Krys now takes  care of the lifeboat shop

A former senior sister with the NHS has taken on the role of team leader running the record-breaking lifeboat charity shop in Lyme Regis.

Krys Lavery, who moved to Lyme with her surgeon husband Ken less than two years ago, will lead a group of some 35 volunteers who staff the RNLI shop next to the lifeboat station on the Cobb.

The tiny shop has regularly featured as one of the best performing  of hundreds of RNLI outlets and last year was in the top ten.  Bournemouth-born Krys, 55, a lifelong supporter of the RNLI, said: ‘I started doing one shift selling in the shop, then two, and after thinking long and hard I decided to become the volunteer leader.  ‘We have a tremendous group of enthusiastic helpers and it is simply great fun and very exciting. It is so completely different to nursing, and we all hope we can break a few more records to help the RNLI’s aim to save lives at sea.’

The RNLI’s Visitor Experience Manager, Amanda Woods, said: ‘I am delighted Krys has taken on the role of team leader.  She has a very positive outlook and I am sure the shop will continue to be one of our top performers under her team leadership.’

Anyone who would like to help in the shop should contact Krys on 0753 8607753 or kk17@btopenworld.com

27 January 2016                                                                                 Lyme Regis

South west lifeboat crews saved 90 lives last year

Official figures released by the RNLI  show that volunteer crews in the south west launched lifeboats a total of 1,485 times and rescued 1,531 people in 2015.

And with more than nine million people visiting the region’s beaches last summer, the charity’s lifeguards dealt with 11,100 incidents, assisted 12,845 people and saved 55 lives.

Volunteer lifeboat crews across the region’s 36 lifeboat stations saved a total of 90 lives and spent 9,989 hours  at sea dealing with emergencies.

Locally, the volunteers in Lyme Regis answered 26 calls for help assisting 16 people, and were at sea for 117 hours. Ten of the emergencies were in the dark.

Nick Marks, the RNLI’s volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager in Lyme Regis, said: ‘It was a relatively quiet year for us. Nearly half the calls were to assist coastguards with people in trouble on the shoreline or the cliffs which just goes to illustrate the care needed by those who set out on foot to enjoy our Jurassic coast.

‘We urge everyone to take note of the tides and be wary of slippery rocks.

‘Looking at the number of call-outs I would like to think that the majority of people who use the water are taking all the right precautions before setting out.

‘As for our volunteers, I can only praise their commitment to give up their own time, day or night, to help those in trouble.  ‘I would like to wish everyone a happy and safe 2016 and urge them to remember to respect the water.’

DATE  18 January 2016                                            

Christmas continues in Lyme Regis for the RNLI

Crew members and shore based volunteers gathered for a late Christmas Dinner at By the Bay in Lyme Regis on Saturday 16 January to celebrate a safe and successful 2015.

The evening started with volunteers and their wives and partners arriving from 7 pm for pre dinner drinks and entertainment from the magician Zap who’s up close magic and sleight of hand left the partygoers genuinely amazed and applauding.

The staff at By the Bay then served a wonderful dinner, which everyone thoroughly enjoyed. The organisers of the evening, helms, Elliot Herbert, Murray Saunders and Martin Croad had ensured the contribution of wives and partners were recognised with a gift and an entry in to a raffle.

The raffle was drawn after dinner with some wonderful prizes donated by local businesses in Lyme Regis. Too many to mention individually but it was a clear demonstration of the affection and appreciation that the local business community has for it’s Lifeboat Station volunteers.

After dinner came the highlight of the evening with a number of awards being handed out, some light hearted which drew laughter and applause from all. The main award of the evening was to Tom WallIs who won the Crew Member of the Year, it was Tom’s second award of the evening, as well as being sea-going crew he is one of the Stations Tractor mechanics and his first award was for his diligence in this role.

The camaraderie and atmosphere at the party is evidence that the RNLI in Lyme Regis is in safe hands. This was eloquently summed up by Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks as he said ‘This is a great opportunity for everyone on the crew to have a night out together and to say a big thank you to our wives and partners for all the support they give us. The organiser's of tonight's party have done a really good job to recognise this and the team spirit we have at the station.’

DATE              4/1/2016                                  Lyme Regis

False alarm for Lyme Regis RNLI first shout of the year but is a timely reminder of Sea Safety.

The first proper working weekday of the year saw a call to the coastguard reporting walkers possibly cut off between Lyme Regis and Charmouth. The call was placed from the café at Charmouth Beach by some concerned members of the public early Monday (4 January 2016) afternoon.

The Coastguard alerted Lyme Regis RNLI volunteers by pager at 1.27 pm and in less than 10 minutes the crew had assembled and got the lifeboat out to sea to look for the reported walkers. It didn’t take long to identify three walkers by the sea where the reported call had placed them.

There were three walkers who were not cut off and in conjunction with shore based members of the coastguard it was agreed they were not at risk and no rescue was needed. The Lyme Regis lifeboat Spirit of Loch Fyne and it’s four crew observed the individuals form the sea for a short while before returning to station just after 2 pm.

Back on shore helm Tim Edwards said “We saw them quite quickly as one of them was wearing an orange jacket, they were not in any distress or danger so we observed for a few minutes and were then stood down by the coastguard. A false alarm but better safe than sorry and it’s good that people make a call if they have concerns”

Clearly no one was in danger but it serves as timely reminder for all that activities by the seashore can put you at risk very quickly. Anyone undertaking activities in or near the sea would be well served going to the RNLI online and reading their advice, especially the Respect The Water initiative that clearly identifies some of the risks.  See  http://rnli.org/safety/respect-the-water/Pages/what-is-respect-the-water.aspx

DATE              1/1/2016                                              Lyme Regis

New Years Day brings the Charge of the Lyme Lunge Brigade

The annual Christmas Day swim at Charmouth beach saw volunteer A week after the Lyme Regis Lifeboat crew ensured the safety of swimmers at the Charmouth Christmas Day swim the volunteer crew were on hand again for a repeat performance at the annual Lyme Lunge .

Following New Years eve celebrations a 1 pm start was more in accordance with allowing revellers to recover from the previous nights indulgences. The foreshore at Lyme Regis began to get busy from late morning as the swimmers began to arrive in all manner of costumes.

The Lyme Regis lifeboat crew were in attendance, some coming straight from helping out at the annual duck race in the town. The conditions were very similar to a week previously at Charmouth with wind and rain and pounding surf. In a well practised manner the crew members entered the water shortly before the start to ensure the swimmers had a safe area to enter and leave the water.

Just after 1 pm Lyme Regis town crier Alan Vian set the swimmers off and The Stig, members of the clergy and a multitude of other costumes charged with gusto in to the sea. All had a great time and within 10 minutes everyone was back ashore enjoying hot drinks. One the RNLI lifeboat crew said “Unbelievable turnout and well done to all for braving the elements and following our advice”

2015

DATE              25/12/2015                                          Lyme Regis

Stormtroopers, elves and avocados take to the sea on Christmas Day at Charmouth

The annual Christmas Day swim at Charmouth beach saw volunteer crew from RNLI Lyme Regis ensuring the safety of a fascinating variety of costumed swimmers. The seasonal elves and Santa’s were in attendance but the inventiveness of the swimmers in their choice of attire knows no bounds with stormtroopers, avocados, and clocks amongst the costumes.

Swimmers preparing for the annual Christmas Day swim began arriving from 10.00 am and were joined by volunteers from the RNLI with collecting buckets as well as members of the Lyme Regis lifeboat crew. 

As they have done for many years the crew had put their own Christmas Day celebrations to one side for an hour or so to ensure everyone had a fun and safe time.

The crew donned their kit and entered the water shortly before the 11.00 am start to form a protected area of the sea for the swimmers to enter. The wind and rain had clearly not dampened enthusiasm for this annual event At 11.00 am Lyme Regis town crier Alan Vian rang his bell to start the event and the assembled swimmers charged in to the sea for a quick dip

The crowds in attendance donated over £800 to the RNLI in the collecting buckets being wielded by the volunteers. After all swimmers were safely back ashore Lyme Regis lifeboat helm Mark Colley said ‘Another successful year here at Charmouth, it’s great fun for all the swimmers and good to see so many turn out every year, the lifeboat crew enjoy coming down every year to help and of course it’s a fun way to raise some money for the RNLI’

20/12/15                                              Lyme Regis

Christmas comes early for the RNLI in Lyme Regis

Father Christmas arrived early to Lyme Regis RNLI this morning (20 December) when local business owner Jane Bremner of Wood Farm Caravan Park presented a cheque for £4,240 to the volunteer crew at one of their regular training sessions.

The money had been collected throughout the year from visitors to the Wood Farm Caravan Park, every visitor to the park was given the opportunity to donate £1 to the RNLI Charity. Something an amazingly large number of people were happy to do.

Jane explained that Wood Farm regularly chose a local charity to support for the year and this year it was the RNLI.  ‘We like to annually support a local charity that has relevance to our visitors and being a coastal town where people specifically come to enjoy the sea and the walks along the coast, the RNLI at Lyme Regis was a very obvious and worthwhile choice this year’

At the end of a training session Jane joined the crew onboard the lifeboat to present a cheque to the crew members in person and it was received with much thanks.

Helm of the lifeboat Murray Saunders said ‘We are very grateful for this fantastic donation. It is great to see local businesses like Wood Farm recognising the volunteer work we do and supporting the RNLI with thoughtful fundraising initiatives like this’

12 December 2015                                                                             Lyme Regis

 Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat launched as two vessels capsize in rough seas

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched on 12 December after two vessels from the town’s sailing club capsized in rough seas to the east of the harbour.

It’s understood that the club’s safety RIB – rigid inflatable boat – with two people aboard overturned as it went  to the assistance of one person aboard a dinghy, which also capsized. All three reached shore safely.

The incidents happened close to rocks known as Broad Ledge at about 11.20am The alarm was raised by onlookers ashore including the RNLI’s volunteer Community Safety Officer Richard Finch who saw people waving in the Broad Ledge area.

The dinghy reached shore, but the safety boat was stuck on rocks.  Because the tide was still dropping the lifeboat crew were unable to reach the RIB from the sea. But coastguards and lifeboat crew members  later  anchored  the RIB until later in the afternoon. 

The lifeboat was launched again at 3.15pm. to tow the safety RIB into harbour in difficult sea conditions with an estimated eight foot swell. The lifeboat crew returned to harbour at 4.15pm

6 December 2015                                                                               Lyme Regis

Lifeboat launched to ‘surfer in trouble’

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched today (Sunday) after an onlooker ashore reported a surfer in difficulties east of the harbour’s north wall.

Soon after launching at 2.33pm the lifeboat crew were told the surfer had made his own way safely ashore and was met by a coastguard team.

28 November 2015                                                                             Lyme Regis

School sends lifeboat donation in memory of Rosie,11

Children at an East Midlands school have raised £1,503 pounds for the RNLI in memory of an 11 year old girl who loved Lyme Regis.

Rosie Perry Jones was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in April this year. Tragically, she died in August just days before she was due to start at West Bridgford School, Nottingham. Last month the school held a non-uniform day, with a seaside theme, and sold cakes and held other activities to raise funds for Lyme Regis RNLI.

Angela Clarke, who provides pastoral support for year seven at the school, wrote to the lifeboat volunteers: ‘Rosie had very happy memories of Lyme Regis and loved the lifeboat.  We wanted to do something in her memory so we chose your well-deserved  charity and your station for the donation.’

Rosie’s two sisters, Jess, 14, and Millie, 16, go to the school and their mother Mrs Diane Perry said: “ We have been coming to Lyme Regis for Lifeboat Week or Carnival Week for many years, and Rosie and her sisters loved it.”

 The family plan to visit Lyme again in the New Year and are in touch with the town council to arrange for a plaque in Rosie’s memory and a memorial tree.

The lifeboat crew plan to send a special message of thanks to the school.

 Volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks said: "This is a very moving gesture on behalf of the school, and we are very grateful to everyone for thinking of our lifeboat charity in this way."

28 November 2015                                                                             Lyme Regis

Hot toddy for the Christmas Day swimmers

Swimmers taking a traditional Christmas Day dip at Charmouth this year will be treated to a hot toddy as they emerge from the chilly waters.

Sponsors for the second year running are the landlords of Charmouth’s Royal Oak pub, Karen Phillips and her partner Ian Hendry.  As usual it’s expected that many of the swimmers will be dressed in a colourful variety of costumes from nuns and crusaders  to vicars and fairies.

Karen said: “We are delighted to be involved.  We have some pretty outrageously dressed customers in the pub on Christmas Day, but the event gives everyone a great buzz.  We will provide a hot toddy for all those who brave the waves and I think it will be very welcome.”

Members of the volunteer lifeboat crew from Lyme Regis will be on hand to keep an eye on proceedings, and the swim is once again supporting the RNLI.

The swim will be started at 11a.m. by Lyme Regis Town Crier Alan Vian.

25 November 2015                                                                             Lyme Regis

 Lifeboat launched in search for missing woman

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched at 7.40 to-night following reports of an elderly woman missing from her home in Charmouth.

The lifeboat crew carried out a shoreline search from Lyme Regis to Golden Cap, assisting coastguards ashore and a police helicopter, and were stood down with no sightings after some two and a half hours at sea.

23 November 2015                                                                             Lyme Regis

 Murray marries

Murray Saunders, a member of the Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat crew, was married at the town’s St. Michael’s Church on Saturday.  And straight after the ceremony  Murray and his bride, Ellie Boyle, went on their first ‘outing’ together as man and wife…. to the lifeboat station for one more photo for the album.

Murray,30, and Ellie, 29, met during a windsurfing festival, and together they run Boylo’s surf shop on Marine Parade.  Ellie is the daughter of Simon and Carolin  Boyle from Tatworth in Somerset.  Murray is the son of Mike Saunders and Niki Probert.

Some 142 guests attended a reception at Haselbury Mill, Crewkerne. Best man was Tom Wallis, also a member of the lifeboat crew.

13  November  2015                                                                           Lyme Regis

 
New crew members wanted for Lyme Regis RNLI

Volunteers at Lyme Regis lifeboat station are on the look-out for new members of the RNLI crew.

Ideal recruits, men and women, should have a good standard of fitness and preferably be aged between 18 and 40, They also need to live and work in Lyme Regis or Uplyme so that they can get to the lifeboat station safely, but promptly, in an emergency.

Many crew members tend to be self employed, but in some cases employers are happy for volunteers to leave work when their pagers sound the alarm. Newcomers would join as shore crew, helping with the general running of the lifeboat station while being trained and attending courses with a view to ultimately becoming sea-going crew.

Lifeboat Operations Manager Nick Marks said: “We are planning ahead because some  of our crew will be retiring. Everyone is a volunteer, of course, and needs to commit to roughly ten to 12 hours a month for training and other events.  “ Commitment is the key to being an RNLI volunteer, and in return for that we can promise a challenging  role in a very friendly atmosphere.”

Some 35 volunteers run the Lyme Regis RNLI operation, and they come from all walks of life, carpenters, builders, decorators, landscape gardeners as well as those who help in retirement.  So far this year the Lyme Regis crew have answered 22 calls for help.

Anyone interested in joining the crew should make contact by calling 01297 442230 and leaving a message, by writing to Lyme Regis Lifeboat Station, The Cobb, DT7 3JJ, or by e-mail to  Lyme-Regis@rnli.org.uk.

26 October  2015                                                                                Lyme Regis

Lifeboat launched to assist rescue of three trapped by high tide

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched this evening (Mon) to assist in the rescue of three people trapped by the high tide.

The lifeboat was launched at 3. 56pm following reports that a man, a woman and a sixteen year old boy were stranded between Charmouth and Golden Cap to the east of Lyme Regis.

They were walking towards Charmouth and were unable to get to high ground as the tide came in.

Because of the choppy conditions the lifeboat crew felt they could not get the three people aboard safely.  Crew member Tom Crabbe swam 200 metres ashore to reassure them and help them walk to safety.

Half an hour before high tide the coastguard helicopter airlifted the three walkers and Tom Crabbe and landed them at Charmouth where they were met by coastguards.

Lifeboat helm Murray Saunders said: “Because of the pitching swell we would not have been able to get the three people off the beach safely so it was necessary to call for the coastguard helicopter.”

25 October  2015                                                                                Lyme Regis

Two rescued from rocks say ‘thanks’ with £200 donation

Two men who were rescued by the volunteer crew of the Lyme Regis RNLI  lifeboat said ‘thank you’ with a £200 donation to the life-saving charity.
One of the men, 64 year old retired police officer David Dolling, from Poole, visited the lifeboat station today (Sunday)  to present the donation to some of the crew members who rescued him and his friend, John Allan, in August.
Mr. Dolling and Mr Allan, 67, from Essex, were trapped on rocks in darkness at Seven Rock Point, west of Lyme Regis, and when they realised they could go no further they called the coastguards.
Mr Dolling, who with his colleague was on a mapping exercise, said:  “We are both very grateful to the lifeboat crew.”

4 October  2015                                                                                  Lyme Regis

Seventy five years of lifeboat service recognised with awards

Seventy five years of volunteer service to the RNLI by past and present crew members was recognised yesterday (Saturday) at presentations in Lyme Regis.

The crew of the town’s lifeboat held an end of season party for families and past and present volunteers at the Powerboat club headquarters on Monmouth Beach.

Certificates and letters of thanks were presented to four former crew members and one current crew man.

Neville Causley and Rob Crabbe received certificates on vellum for serving 24 and 20 years respectively. During Neville’s service 99 lives were saved by the lifeboat crew and during Rob’s spell 71 people were saved.

Former helm Dave Street, who is now a Deputy Launching Authority, was awarded his long service badge marking 20 years.

Phil Ball and Pete Cable received letters of thanks for eight and three years’ service respectively.

4 October  2015                                                                                  Lyme Regis

Powerboats and pizzas= £1,000 for the RNLI

A joint fund-raising effort by Lyme Regis Powerboat Club and the Rebel Town Pizza team produced a cheque for £1,000 for the RNLI.

The money was raised during Lifeboat Week when the pizza stall was in action, and the cheque was presented to the lifeboat crew by officers of the powerboat club and the pizza sellers.

Pictured, back row: Tom Wallis, Tim Edwards, Martin Croad, Ross Clifford, Jon Broome, Elliott Herbert. Front: Jenny Payne, Georgina Cobden, Sean Budge, Les Clifford, William Curnoe.

4 October  2015                                                                                  Lyme Regis
 

Lifeboat called to two men trapped on cliff

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched yesterday (Saturday) to assist in the search for, and rescue, of two men trapped on a cliff east of the town.

The men were located from the sea by the lifeboat crew who then assisted coastguards and the  rescue helicopter in reaching the men.

Lifeboat helm Tim Edwards said:’ We located the men between Black Ven and Charmouth. They seem to have been trapped  on a ledge above a deep ravine.”

Both men were winched to safety by the coastguard helicopter and landed at Charmouth where they were met by coastguards.

The lifeboat launched at 2.40pm and returned to harbour at 4.30pm This was the 21^st emergency call for the RNLI volunteers this year. 

2 October  2015                                                                                  Lyme Regis  

Two men in broken down fishing boat rescued by Lyme Regis lifeboat crew

 Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched today to rescue two men aboard a fishing boat with engine failure drifting four miles south of the town’s harbour.

The lifeboat towed the boat, Mackerel 2, to  safety in the harbour. The lifeboat launched at 12.17pm and returned at 12.49. 

27 September  2015                                                                           Lyme Regis

Walkers and dog cut off by tide rescued by Lyme Regis lifeboat crew

A couple and their dog cut off by the tide were rescued to-night (Sunday) by the volunteer crew of the RNLI lifeboat at Lyme Regis.

Andy Heath,33, from Royston, Herts, his girlfriend Kaylee (correct) Wilson, 29, and Smudge the Jack Russell were rescued at high tide from the beach beneath Stonebarrow east of Charmouth. Kaylee injured her right leg when it became trapped, almost to the knee, in mud.

Lifeboat helm Martin Croad  picked up extra crew members to hold the vessel steady when he beached it and  to help the couple aboard.

Andy Heath, a lorry driver, said: “We were enjoying a walk with the dog when we realised we were in trouble.  We were getting cold and were very pleased when help arrived.”

9 September 2015     Lyme Regis

Sad farewell to Red Arrows from Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week

We’re sad to announce that the Red Arrows and the RAF Falcons parachute team will not be thrilling the crowds at next year’s Lyme Regis Lifeboat week.

For many years the Red Arrows have performed free of charge during Lifeboat Week as a ‘thank you’ to the RNLI for its contribution to Search and Rescue work.

The organisers of the week, the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild, has learned that due to the transition of Search and Rescue services from the RAF to a civilian contractor, display charges will apply in future.

As usual the guild applied for a visit from the Red Arrows almost immediately after this year’s Lifeboat Week. In their response it was stated that the current charge for the Red Arrows was £12,184 and the Falcons £2,939 and these costs were likely to rise next year.   The RNLI guild said that they were unable to find sufficient funds from donations in Lifeboat Week to pay for these displays, and thanked the Red Arrows and RAF Falcons for their support over many years:

A spokesperson said: ‘For many years we have been very fortunate with the Red Arrows and the RAF Falcons visiting the town in Lifeboat Week and supporting the RNLI charity free of charge. Their stunning displays have been a huge attraction to residents and visitors alike, and we know their inclusion in the programme of events has been responsible for raising many thousands of pounds for our charity.

“Regrettably, we cannot find sufficient funds from donations in Lifeboat Week to pay for these displays. The presence of these two magnificent teams will be sorely missed by thousands of people, but this year – when they could not fly because of the weather – we felt we were still able to provide plenty of family events, and donations were not severely affected. Our final figure for this year’s week is in the

region of £25,000.

‘Finally, we would like to extend our deep gratitude to the men and women of the Red Arrows and the RAF Falcons and, indeed, the Ministry of Defence, for their wonderful support for our fundraising over many years.’

30 August  2015                                                                                  Lyme Regis

Two overboard from speedboat rescued at Lyme Regis

Two people who fell overboard from a speedboat when their speedboat suffered engine failure  were rescued this afternoon at Lyme Regis.

They were picked up by a RIB – rigid inflatable boat – before being transferred to the Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat.

The lifeboat was launched at 3.05pm after being called to the incident off Monmouth beach.

Both people were unhurt and taken by the lifeboat to the safety of Lyme Regis harbour. The lifeboat crew, who also towed the speedboat into harbour, returned at 3.55pm.

27 August  2015                                                                                  Lyme Regis

Lyme Regis lifeboat launched after   red flares alert

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched at 1pm today after reports that red flares had been seen in the Golden Cap area east of the town.

After an extensive search  nothing was found and the lifeboat crew were stood down by Solent coastguards.

25 August  2015                                                                                  Lyme Regis
 

Lifeboat called to ‘person in water’ alert

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat crew were called out this evening following a report that a ‘person’ was in difficulties off Freshwater.

After the lifeboat was launched   it was reported that a number of people were involved, and they were now   all ashore. Coastguards, however, requested the lifeboat crew to carry out a shoreline search in case anyone was still in the water.

After a sweep of the shoreline it was established that no one else was in the water and the lifeboat was stood down.

24 August  2015                                                                                  Lyme Regis

Two men trapped on rocks rescued by Lyme Regis lifeboat crew

Two men who got into difficulties on rocks in darkness were rescued last night (Sun) by the crew of the Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat.

The men, John Allan, 67, from Corringham in Essex and his colleague David Dolling,64, from Poole,   were on a mapping exercise at Humble Point, west of Lyme Regis. They got into difficulties as they tried to make their way across the rocky coastline to Pinhay.

When they reached Seven Rock Point in darkness they realised they could go no further in safety and called the coastguard.

The Lyme Regis volunteer lifeboat crew launched at 9.32pm – their second ‘shout’ of the evening.

But because of the rocks and shallow water the lifeboat had to return to harbour to pick up three extra crew members to steady the vessel   and to help the two men aboard. Crew members Tom Crabbe and Andrew Rice swam ashore to assist the two men.

Mr. Allan, a retired businessman, and Mr. Dolling, a former police officer, were wet, tired, but otherwise unhurt. The lifeboat crew brought the two men to the lifeboat station where  they were given blankets and hot drinks.

Mr. Allan said: ”We were so pleased to see the lifeboat crew. We underestimated the time it would take us to walk back and just had to call for help. Sometimes you simply don’t realise how old you are until you get into this sort of situation.”

23 August  2015                                                                                  Lyme Regis
 

Lifeboat launched after ‘body’ report

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched this evening (Sun) following a report of an object, possibly a body, in the water off Church Cliffs east of the town.

After an extensive sweep of the area driftwood was found at Broad Ledge. A lifeboat crew member was landed on the Ledge rocks and  the driftwood was identified as the mystery floating object.

The incident was recorded as a false alarm with good intent. The lifeboat launched at 5.48 and returned  at 6.45pm

8 August  2015                                                                                    Lyme Regis

Lifeboat Week donations raise £22,000 for RNLI charity

Donations during Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis have beaten all expectations.  And with some money still to be received the figure stands at £22,200, announced the organisers, the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild.

“This is just amazing,” said chairman Irene Roper, “and is a huge tribute to all our volunteers and, of course, to the wonderful generosity of those who gave to our life-saving charity during a week of very unpredictable weather.”

Neither the RAF Red Arrows nor the RAF Falcons parachute display team could attend because of the weather.  “These two events are undoubtedly highlights of the week, and without them we have still managed to raise more than we could have hoped,” said Irene Roper.

The Guild had set a target of  £30,000 with a full programme of events.

Mrs Roper added: ”Now we start planning for next year, and we will always welcome extra help, so anyone who would like to join us on the committee is invited to contact me on irenelroper@googlemail.com".

2 August  2015                                                                                    Lyme Regis

How the Pearl of Dorset fin(n)ished up in Finland

A chance e-mail to the volunteer press officer for the RNLI in Lyme Regis has revealed that the town’s lifeboat for 15 years – the aptly named Pearl of Dorset – is now rescuing sailors in Finland.

Martti Pulkkinen, a volunteer with the Finnish Lifeboat Association, wrote to Richard Horobin after discovering that the new lifeboat at his station in Kuopio, eastern Finland, was once the Pearl of Dorset.

Martti googled the number still on the boat –B741-and discovered its origins.

Richard Horobin said “Our crew were fascinated to hear about the fate of Pearl of Dorset. She was very close to their hearts. Martti asked a lot of questions about the boat’s history so I told him how the money to provide the vessel was donated by local people and how the crew paraded her around the town just before she left us in 2012.

“I also sent him a number of photographs, and we hope we can forge links with our Finnish counterparts. He said he was going to translate all the information for his crew.”  Martti said Pearl of Dorset does not have a new name yet, but had already been involved in 15 ‘shouts.’

A spokesman at RNLI headquarters in Poole said: “We have had a working relationship with the Finnish Lifeboat Association for some time with several boat sales completed including Pearl of Dorset.”

Kuopio is described as a lakeland harbour town and the largest lake district in Europe.

29 July  2015                                                                           Lyme Regis

Nikky is lifeboat crew newest recruit

A 21 year old sailing instructor has become the latest member of the crew of the RNLI lifeboat in Lyme Regis.

And Nikky Williams is only the second female to join the crew.

Nicky,  principal of the Lyme Regis Sea School and a senior sailing instructor, has just become a probationer crew member and will now embark on months of training as she aims to  join the fully qualified sea-going team at the lifeboat station.

Nikky said:”I am absolutely chuffed to be joining the crew. I love being on the water, and joining the volunteer crew is such a worthwhile activity.”

Lifeboat Operation Manager Nick Marks said: “We are delighted to welcome Nikki aboard, and I wish her well as she starts to play a full part in our volunteer team.”

The first female crew member was Grace Wadsworth who joined the crew when she was 17 in 2008. She left after six years to pursue university commitments and travel abroad. 

26 July  2015                                                                           Lyme Regis

Lifeboat launched after ‘two trapped’ report
 

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched this morning (Sunday) after an onlooker ashore saw what was thought to be two people in a small boat trapped against the harbour wall in rough sea conditions.

The lifeboat crew found a small fishing boat’s tender moored just outside the harbour, but with no-one aboard.  After a few minutes the incident was logged as a false alarm with good intent and  Solent coastguards stood down the lifeboat crew.

19 July  2015                                                                           Lyme Regis

A sunny start to Lifeboat Week

Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis Regis got off to a sunny start on Saturday with hundreds enjoying the weather and a day of traditional events that ended with the bathtub race.

Earlier, the town’s RNLI lifeboat and crew staged a demonstration at sea with the coastguard helicopter.

Seven teams took part in the bathtub race which was won for the fifth year running by Dorset Fire and Rescue. They finished in a ‘world record’ time of eleven and  half minutes. In second place were Poco Pizza Pirates, and the lifeboat crew were third. Rob Perry Marine, sponsors of the event, were fourth.

An all-female crew of eight from Lyme Regis, the Pink Ladies, last took part 13 years ago and entered the contest again in memory of one o/f their members, Chrissie Robson, who died recently.

A supporter from Australia presented them with chocolates and champagne before the race – from Cobb Gate to the harbour – got under way. They finished in sixth place.

Their bathtub, decorated with underwear, was crewed by Tessa Prescott, Carrie Rossendel, Sam Neal, Emma Davies, Tanya Forster, Alison Robinson, Georgia Robson and Tracey Simpson.

Mrs Enid Perry presented trophies to the first three crews.

13 July  2015                                                                           Lyme Regis

It’s fingers crossed for Lifeboat Week

Organisers of Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week which starts on Saturday are keeping everything crossed for the weather.

“It’s the one thing we can’t control,” said Irene Roper, chairman of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild.  “We seem to have everything else organised with some fabulous events, and the long range weather forecast is promising…but this is England.”

First day events include a welcome display by the Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat at 11am and then at 7.30pm the bathtub race.

Sunday evening sees the tug o’ across the harbourmouth with the lifeboat crew hoping the coastguards get a soaking.

A new event on Tuesday is a grand auction at the lifeboat station. Simon Watson, from Lyme Bay Auctions will be wielding the gavel. There will be at least 50 lots, ranging from a £100 voucher for Mark Hix’s restaurant, paintings and carvings to a collectable early 1900s fog horn.

On Monday at 5pm the RAF Red Arrows are due.  Last year they attracted an estimated crowd of 20,000.

A midweek highlight, on Wednesday, is Close Encounters of the Animal Kind, a chance to hear a talk and meet a few creatures such as snakes, chinchillas and all manner of insects.  Tickets from the lifeboat shop and Uplyme post office.

Another big crowd puller drops in on Friday…the RAF Falcons parachute display team.

 Last year Lifeboat Week raised £30,000 for the RNLI charity, and organisers hope to match that this year.
 

8 July  2015                                                                             Lyme Regis

Lifeguards and lifeboat crew in joint exercise

Newly-arrived RNLI lifeguards and the town’s lifeboat crew staged the first of a series of joint exercises as the busy summer season gets under way in Lyme Regis.

Lifeguards started their duties last Saturday and last night (Tues) they took part in a rescue exercise off the North Wall of the harbour

The scenario involved a paddleboarder with suspected spinal injuries.  The casualty, a lifeboat crew member, had to be lifted from the water on to a spinal board and a stretcher and finally aboard the lifeboat.

Two lifeguards Billy Uppard, 18, and Peter Squires, 26, took part with  lifeguards supervisor Alice Higgins keeping a close eye on proceedings.

She said:”The exercise was all about community life-saving and was extremely useful for us as the season gets under way. We are hoping to work closely with our friends at the lifeboat station throughout the busy weeks.”

7 July  2015                                                                       

Students raise donation for lifeboat

Two A level students at Lyme Regis’ Woodroffe  School presented a £250 cheque to the crew of the town’s lifeboat after raising the money during their studies.

Izzy Street and  Ash Taylor, both aged 18, raised the donation when they held a disco for year seven, eight and nine pupils.  The disco was part of their course work where they had to plan, organise and evaluate an event.

The fathers of Izzy and Ash, Brian Street and Lance Taylor, are both volunteers with the lifeboat.

7 July  2015                                                                             Lyme Regis

Lifeboat crew raise cash for Candles on the Cobb

Members of the town’s RNLI lifeboat crew sponsored one of their colleagues to cycle 180 miles  from John 0’ Groats to Lyme Regis, and raised hundreds of pounds for Candles on the Cobb.

The crew presented a cheque to co-founder of Candles of the Cobb, Mike Higgs, during their Tuesday evening training session.

They sponsored lifeboat helmsman Martin – better known as ‘Myrtle’- Croad  to cycle the 180 miles during the recent event, which is expected to eventually reach a total of around £10,000.  Thirty six riders took part.

Candles on the Cobb takes place every three years, and this year will be held on August 30^th.

Candles, at £2.50 are available now in the lifeboat shop and hundreds are lit on the Cobb to remember loved ones and this year to raise money for youth causes and the Make A Wish charity.

During the course of seven events, Candles on the Cobb is estimated to have raised £100,000 for good causes.

3 July  2015                                                                             Lyme Regis

Lifeguards on duty-it must be summer ! 

Thirteen RNLI lifeguards who have just started their duties on beaches in West Dorset  called in at Lyme Regis lifeboat station today to make their final preparations.

The lifeguards went  on duty at beaches in Weymouth, West Bay and Lyme Regis from Saturday (July 4^th) and will be keeping an eye on holidaymakers between 10am to 6pm until September 6^th.

Pictured, left to right, standing: Peter Squires, Rich Middleton, Jake Guildford, Tom Mules, Dominik Fajkael, Jamie Frampton, Maurice Guy. Front: Zoe Gowers, Tim Banbury, Maria Lochrie, Connor Ward, Olive Bown. Pictured in the bows of the Lyme Regis lifeboat is lifeguards supervisor Alice Higgins.

1 July  2015                                                                             Lyme Regis

Lifeboat alerted to ‘man in difficulties’

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched in the early hours of today (Weds) after reports of a man in difficulties in the water at Seaton.

The lifeboat was launched at 0141, but was stood down by Solent coastguards shortly afterwards when it was learned that the man had been helped to safety on the beach.

Beer coastguards and the Solent coastguard helicopter were also involved in the incident.

25 June  2015                                                                         Lyme Regis

Lifeboat launched to ‘paddle boarder in distress’

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat, coastguards and a helicopter were all involved in a search last night (Weds) for  a paddle boarder reported to be in trouble off the Dorset coast at Freshwater.

A member of the public ashore reported seeing a paddle boarder apparently in difficulties.

Coastguards from Lyme Regis and West Bay searched the shoreline and the lifeboat swept an area between West Bay and Burton Bradstock about  a third of a mile offshore, but nothing was found.

The search was called off after some two hours. The lifeboat was launched at 10.10pm and was stood down by Solent coastguards at 12.20am.  

June 20  2015                                                                         Lyme Regis

Wheelchair tragedy parents volunteer for Lifeboat Week

The parents of the young woman who died when her electric wheelchair plunged into Lyme Regis harbour are returning to the town next month as volunteers helping to raise funds for the RNLI during Lifeboat Week.

Mark and Paula Perkins, from the West Midlands, have arranged their holiday to coincide with Lifeboat Week and   contacted the lifeboat station to offer their services.

Their daughter, Claire, 20, died after   her wheelchair fell into the harbour   during a family visit on October 7^th 2011.

Mrs Perkins said: ‘We will never forget the efforts that so many people made – including the lifeboat crew – to save our daughter on that awful day, and we felt that by helping out during Lifeboat Week we would be saying ‘thank you’ to all those involved.  We don’t mind what we do, whether it’s helping to sell ducks for the duck race or walking along the seafront with a collection bucket.”   

 Local fisherman Harry May received a Royal Humane Society award for his attempts to save Claire and members of the lifeboat crew, coastguards and paramedics were among those who also attempted a rescue..

At the inquest into Claire’s death the West Dorset coroner, Michael Johnston said  the most likely explanation for the accident was that Claire had moved around and caught the electric wheelchair’s joystick.

Responding to Mr and Mrs. Perkins’ offer to help during Lifeboat Week, Irene Roper, chairman of the organisers, the local RNLI Guild, said: ’We are very touched by their offer, and look forward to welcoming them next month.‘

The Perkins family have already made generous donations to the RNLI following the accident.

Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis starts on July 18^th to 25^th.

18 June  2015                                                                         Lyme Regis

Lifeboat launched to ‘exhausted’ windsurfer

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched at 12noon today to help a windsurfer reported to be exhausted 600metres offshore at Seaton. 

A member of the public raised the alarm after seeing the man on his surfboard with the sail down.

The lifeboat towed the man to safety ashore on his surfboard. He was said to be tired but otherwise unhurt.

14 June  2015                                                                         Lyme Regis

Couple trapped by tide rescued by lifeboat

A young couple cut off by the tide were rescued by coastguards and the Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat to-night (Sun).

Liam Rigden,19, from Somerton, Somerset, and his girlfriend Cara Brindley, 16, from Westport, Somerset, climbed the cliff as the tide came in 500 metres east of the new Lyme Regis sea defences and between the town and Black Ven.

Coastguards ashore helped the couple down to the beach where they were taken aboard the lifeboat and returned to the safety of Lyme Regis Harbour.

Liam said : “We are very grateful to the lifeboat crew and the coastguards. Next time I will make a point of checking the tide tables.”

The lifeboat was launched at 6.03pm and returned to harbour at 6.48.  This was the 8^th ‘shout’ for the volunteer crew so far this year.

4 June  2015                                                                           Lyme Regis  

Lifeboat Week target is £30,000, say fundraisers

Organisers have set a target of £30,000 for the life-saving charity as they add the finishing touches to plans for this year’s Lyme Regis and Charmouth Lifeboat Week.

The week runs from July 18^th to 25^th and the full programme is due to be released in a few days.

All the old favourites are in the programme as usual, such as the duck race, sand sports, the sand castle competition and the crab fishing contest.

There’s something for everyone on every day, and among the highlights  are the RAF Red Arrows flying in at 5pm on Monday July 20th, and the RAF Falcons parachute display team dropping in on the Friday.

This year sponsors feature prominently with the fireworks display backed by  the Alexandra Hotel, Lyme Bay Holidays and Toad Hall Properties, the bath tub race sponsored by Rob Perry Marine, tug ‘o war sponsored by Tom Crabbe Electrical, the sandcastle competition supported by The Slipway and the duck race sponsored by the Alexandra Hotel.

Another first this year will be trophies presented to winners of a number of events.

Chairman of the organisers, the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild, Irne Roper said : “We raised £30,000 last year and that’s our target for this year with the help of good weather.

“We hope to see plenty of entries for events such as the bathtub race and the fun run. 

“We really want see a large entry for the bathtub race which will be in the evening on Saturday July 18^th.

“Rules for the bathtub race will be printed in the Lifeboat Week programme but, not surprisingly, entrants’ vessels must include a standard household bath and engines are not allowed !”

26 May  2015                                                                           Lyme Regis

Lifeboat launched to grandfather ‘in need of medical help’

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched at 2.27 this afternoon to assist coastguards who had been called to help a 67 year old man reported to be in need of medical help.

The man and his young grandchildren –a boy and a girl – were on rocks between Seaton Chine and Seaton Hole when the alarm was raised.

One lifeboat crew member went ashore to help, and the coastguard helicopter took the man to a waiting ambulance on Seaton cricket ground.

The two children were taken by lifeboat to Seaton beach and coastguards took them to meet the ambulance.

The lifeboat returned to harbour after almost two hours at sea.

16 May  2015                                                                           Lyme Regis

Lifeboat called to man cut off by tide

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched this evening (Sat) following a report that a man had been cut off by the tide at Pinhay Bay, just west of the harbour.

The man managed to walk  from the bay across a landslip to Monmouth Beach, and the lifeboat crew returned to the harbour once it was clear the man was safe. 
 

10 May 2015                                                                            Lyme Regis

Blessing of the boats ceremony marked at the harbourside 

A congregation of around 100 braved chilly and overcast weather and lined the slipway at the harbourside as the Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat crew hosted the traditional Blessing of the Boats service on Rogation Sunday.

The service was led by the vicar of Lyme Regis, the Rev. Jane Skinner with contributions from Roman Catholic priest Father Michael and the Baptist church minister the Rev. Chris Woodman. The lesson was read by the Mayor Cllr Sally Holman.

Four wreaths – representing fishermen, the Royal British Legion, the town council and the RNLI – were presented to lifeboat crew members and then taken out to sea aboard the lifeboat, Spirit of Loch Fyne.

In his address Father Michael spoke of the pride felt for the volunteers who crew the lifeboat and for those who support them both at the station and in their fundraising activities.
 

9 May 2015                                                                              Lyme Regis

Pre-school visit to lifeboat station

Children from the pre-school group at Whitchurch Canonicorum became some of the youngest ever to receive a ‘lecture’ on the role of the volunteer lifeboat service in Lyme Regis.

The youngsters visited Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat station last Thursday when their normal meeting place, the village hall, was being used as a polling station.

The children's Play Leader Mrs Janna McDonald said: “All the children love the sea and they enjoy hearing stories about the brave lifeboat men and women.”

Two RNLI members who deliver talks to visitors, Ian Marshall and Richard Cunningham, showed the youngsters a video of lifeboat crews in action and described how volunteers are trained to save lives at sea.

Mr. Cunningham said: “The children were very well behaved and seemed so interested that I think they may be the volunteers of the future !”

8 May 2015                                                                              Lyme Regis

Lifeboat called to capsized yacht

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched at 7pm last night (Thurs) after coastguards were alerted when a yacht capsized off Beer.

The yacht was taking part in a sailing club event and a safety boat dealt with the incident before the lifeboat arrived on scene.

7 May 2015                                                                              Lyme Regis

Flag day collection success

Forty volunteer collectors braved the poor weather on Saturday, May 2^nd to raise £947 53p on Flag Day in Lyme Regis and Charmouth, members of the local RNLI Guild were told at their meeting this week (Weds).

7 May 2015                                                                              Lyme Regis

Harbourmaster stands down from lifeboat role

Lyme Regis harbourmaster Grahame Forshaw is standing down from his voluntary role as the RNLI’s Lifeboat Operations Manager because of ‘work commitments.’

Mr. Forshaw, 56, has been harbourmaster for six years and joined the lifeboat crew five years ago as Deputy Launching Authority.   He told crew members at the training session (on Tuesday of this week) that because of his busy work schedule he felt he had to give up his lifeboat duties.

Mr. Forshaw retired from military service  after 33 years with the Royal Marines.  He served in the Falklands, Iran, Afghanistan, Northern Ireland, Cyprus and Bosnia.  He said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my involvement with the lifeboat and it was a difficult decision to make. 

“My harbourmaster’s office is next door to the lifeboat station so I shall still be available when members of the crew need to chat.”

Nick Marks, a Deputy Launching Authority at the lifeboat station, becomes Acting Lifeboat Operations Manager.

He is a retired Royal Navy captain and served in a number of ships including HMS Bulwark and Ark Royal during a 29 year career.  Mr Marks is a yachtmaster, dinghy sailor and owner of a narrowboat.

3 May 2015                                                                              Lyme Regis

Lifeboat launched to rock fall woman 

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat was launched at 1.24pm this afternoon (Sun) to assist coastguards after an elderly woman fell on rocks east of the town.

The woman fell on rocks where she was walking beneath the Black Ven cliff.

Two lifeboat crew members – Martin Croad and Dan Currall - swam ashore to assist coastguards and paramedics.

30^th April 2015                                                                         Lyme Regis

RNLI to stage Blessing of the Boats

The annual Blessing of the Boats service is to be held again this year on Sunday (May 10) at the lifeboat station on the Cobb in Lyme Regis.

The service starts at 3pm and will be   led by the vicar of Lyme Regis, the Rev. Jane Skinner, with other church leaders.

The service  regularly attracts an inter-denominational congregation of around 200.

The Lyme Regis Town Band will provide the music for hymns. The Mayor Cllr Sally Holman, accompanied by town councillors will read  the lesson.

Wreaths on behalf of the RNLI, fishermen, the navy and the Royal British Legion will be presented and taken to sea by members of the volunteer crew of the town’s lifeboat.

Organiser Ian Marshall, a Deputy Launching Authority at the lifeboat station, said: “This is a very traditional service, and we welcome everyone, visitors and residents alike, to come along and take part.”  

22 April 2015                                                                           Lyme Regis

Landlord Neville calls time on the lifeboat

 One of the longest-serving members of the volunteer crew of the RNLI’s lifeboat in Lyme Regis, Neville Causley, has been forced to retire…so that he can concentrate on running his successful pub.

Neville, 46, is landlord of the Hunters Lodge Inn at Raymonds Hill and has been involved with the lifeboat for more than 25 years.

“When I was 12 living in Lyme Regis I would hear the maroons being fired and rush upstairs to the loft window to watch the lifeboat being launched,” said Neville.

“As long as it was heading towards Charmouth I could watch it for ages. I knew then that I wanted to join the lifeboat crew.”

Neville joined the crew as a launcher, but never became a full sea-going crew member because he has always worn glasses.

He remembers the day when he and other crew had to launch the lifeboat by pushing it down the slipway and, if the tide was out, all the way to the harbour mouth.

He also gave talks to school parties at the lifeboat station and instructed other crew members in use of  radio communications with the lifeboat.

As the station’s main radio operator he was on duty non-stop for more than 16 hours during a massive search in 1995 for three anglers who drowned when their powerboat sank.

“I  just couldn’t stop working on that occasion, like many others involved in the search. Relatives of the men were waiting desperately for news so we all had to keep going.

“The lifeboat and all my volunteer friends have been a massive part of my life, but I simply can’t give the RNLI the necessary commitment any more.”

Neville has been landlord of the Hunters Lodge Inn for twelve years and runs the pub with wife Sarah. They have two sons, Harvey, 16, and Jake,18.

16 April 2015                                                                           Lyme Regis

Lifeboat shop to re-open after volunteer shortage

Lifeboat fundraisers in Lyme Regis will re-open the top- rated RNLI shop on the Cobb on April 27^th.

The tiny shop, next to the lifeboat station, had a turnover of £124,000 last year and was fourth of all the RNLI outlets in the UK.

But it has been closed so far this year because of a shortage of volunteers.

Members of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild were told at their annual meeting (yesterday) that more volunteers had come forward and the shop could now re-open.

Amanda Woods, the RNLI’s Visitor Experience Manager, will now be the key contact in management of the shop.

Guild acting chairman Irene Roper said plans for this year’s Lifeboat Week  were progressing well with the Red Arrows and the RAF Falcons parachute team confirmed.

Lifeboat Operation Manager Grahame told the guild that the crew had answered 31 emergency calls last year. Following the Duke of Kent’s recent visit he had received two letters of appreciation from the duke’s private secretary and the Lord Lieutenant of Dorset.

Guest speaker was Keith Colwell, RNLI Community Incident Reduction Manager, who outlined the charity’s Respect the Water campaign, which aims to increase awareness of the dangers around the coast.

One target of the campaign is to reduce drownings by 50per cent by 2024.

Mr. Colwell said that 466 lives were saved last year, but the average number of drownings in the UK was still around 400 a year.

26  March 2015                                                                                   Lyme Regis

Duke of Kent makes it a right royal occasion for Lyme Regis RNLI volunteers

The Duke of Kent today became the first member of the Royal Family to visit the RNLI’s lifeboat station on the iconic Cobb in Lyme Regis.

His Royal Highness met members of the volunteer crew, chatted with fund-raisers over a cup of tea and visited the charity’s hugely successful  shop next to the lifeboat station.  The Duke, who is President of the RNLI, viewed the station’s Atlantic 85 class lifeboat, Spirit of Loch Fyne, on the harbour slipway  and met members of the crew in the boathouse.

Later he toured the lifeboat station and saw a display of art by pupils from the Woodroffe School, Lyme Regis, and Charmouth Primary School.  He also met volunteers who run the  RNLI shop  and members of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild, who organise fundraising events including the annual Lifeboat Week.

The Duke’s last port of call was the charity’s shop which has consistently been among the top RNLI retail outlets in the country.  In the shop he met two  long-serving volunteer assistants Gwyneth Barker and her husband Denis.   Gwyneth said: ”The Duke was very interested in the shop, and asked about  the wide range of goods we sell.  He said he was very impressed with what he had heard about the success of the shop.”

Lifeboat Operations Manager Grahame Forshaw, who hosted the Duke’s visit said: “ The Duke was particularly interested to hear about the crew and their occupations, and how they combine their work  with their voluntary duties with the RNLI. “He also showed a great interest in the station as a whole and was particularly keen to hear about our training  methods.”

18 March 2015                                                                                    Lyme Regis

Red Arrows and the Falcons will fly again for Lifeboat Week
 

The Red Arrows and the RAF’s crack parachute display team, the Falcons, have once again agreed to take part in Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week.

The Red Arrows will be coming on Monday, July 20^th and the Falcons will be dropping in on July 24^th.

Acting chairman of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild – organisers of Lifeboat Week – Irene Roper said:”We are absolutely delighted, of course, that these two huge attractions have promised to visit us again.

“We don’t know yet what time they will be arriving, but we will announce this as soon as we can.”

Lifeboat Week, which raised some  £30,000 for the RNLI charity last year, will run from July 18^th to 25^th.

12 March 2015

RNLI lifeboat station team to be included in royal visit to Lyme Regis

The RNLI team at Lyme Regis will be hosting a visit by His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent when he visits the town on Thursday 26 March.   

The visit will give the team at Lyme Regis RNLI an opportunity to meet the Duke of Kent who is the President of the charity, to explain more about the rescue and fundraising work done by the station team.

Grahame Foreshaw is the volunteer RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager at Lyme Regis, he says:   

‘We are a dedicated team of volunteers who are very proud of our lifeboat station and are delighted to be given this special opportunity to show it off to the Duke of Kent. His Royal Highness will see our lifeboat station, including the boat house where we keep the Atlantic class inshore lifeboat Spirit of Loch Fyne and meet the volunteer crew and fundraisers and before visiting our wonderful shop that attracts so many visitors. 

It’ll be lovely for the volunteers who put in so much hard work to keep our little corner of the RNLI going and we look forward to greeting him.’

Party ‘gamble’ success for lifeboat crew                                                      9 March 2015                Lyme Regis

Lifeboat crew members in Lyme Regis took a gamble with their annual party on Saturday.  Instead of Christmas they chose March.  And instead of a sit-down meal  it was a buffet and casino night at a pub run by a former lifeboat crew member.

The result was a winning formula, according to seventy lifeboat volunteers, their wives and friends. 
No money changed hands at the roulette tables, just an awful lot of plastic chips.

The party was held at the Hunters Lodge pub at Raymonds Hill, where the landlord is former long-serving lifeboat crew member Neville Causley.

Neville and lifeboat helmsman Dave Street were the main organisers. Dave said: “It looks like we were on to a winner with a different sort of party.  No-one lost or won any money, so everyone was happy.”

Two join top team at lifeboat station                               1st March 2015       Lyme Regis  
 

Two new volunteers have joined the management team at the RNLI lifeboat station in Lyme Regis.

Retired army major Ian Marshall,67, has joined the ranks of the DLAs..Deputy Launching Authorities, and Chris Hinton, 65, has filled the treasurer role.

Mr. Marshall recently moved to Lyme Regis with wife Annemarie on retirement after 32 years as a member of the Royal Logistic Corps where his specialist role was bomb disposal.

Mr. Hinton, from Charmouth, is a retired operations and logistics director.

He has a mooring for his 18ft day fisher boat in Lyme Regis harbour, and said:” I have always felt reassured that the RNLI is just a radio call away if I need them, and perhaps it is time I gave something back.”

The Lyme Regis RNLI team is still looking for another DLA, and anyone interested in learning more should contact Adrian Ragbourne at adrian@ragbourne.com.

Council chairman presents £7,000 cheque to RNLI                                                      27 February 2015

 A cheque for £7,000 was presented to the RNLI by West Dorset District Council Chairman Gillian Summers as she marked the end of her four year tenure.

Cllr Summers chose the RNLI as her charity and the donation represented the amount raised during various fund-raising events.

The cheque was received by Lyme Regis RNLI Deputy Launching Authority Adrian Ragbourne in a ceremony before the start of the  full council meeting in Dorchester.

Adrian reminded the council that the charity was wholly funded through such donations.

He told councillors that the RNLI strategy was focused on the prevention of loss of life at sea, and the chairman’s chosen charity would benefit enormously from the generous donation.

                                                                   10 February 2015             Lyme Regis

Pottery donation boost for RNLI

A sale of Honiton Ware pottery at Lyme Bay Auctions produced a donation of £360 for the RNLI.

The pottery was part of the estate of Peter Liddiard-White, from Kilmington, a lifelong supporter of the RNLI.

Peter, a keen collector, asked that his pottery collection should be sold in aid of the lifeboat charity.

Lyme Bay Auctions are always happy to act on behalf of anyone who wishes to sell items with the proceeds going to the RNLI.

Photo shows Simon Watson, director of Lyme Bay Auctions, presenting the cheque to John Rickard, acting vice chairman of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild with guild committee member Mrs. Gerry Hampton looking on.

                                                                              Lyme Regis 8 February 2015   

Rotary cheque says ‘thanks’ to lifeboat crew

Lyme Regis Rotarians presented a cheque for £200 to the town’s RNLI lifeboat crew today (Sunday) to say ‘thanks’ for their help during the hugely successful Lyme Lunge on New Year’s day.

The crew provided safety cover for the event in which 320 revellers took to the chilly sea in what the Rotary Club said was the best-ever Lyme Lunge.

The Lunge raised £4,500 for Help for Heroes.

Rotary club social organiser and former member of the lifeboat crew, Jim Moseley, handed the lifeboat donation to members of the crew at Sunday’s training session.

Lifeboat appeal for new volunteers

4 February 2015                                                                                  Lyme Regis

Lifeboat appeal for new volunteers
Volunteers who run the RNLI lifeboat station in Lyme Regis are seeking two more senior members of the team.

The role of Deputy Launching Authority – DLA – involves joining the management team and taking responsibility for launching the lifeboat in an emergency.

Ideally the new recruits should live and work within eight minutes travelling time of the lifeboat station.

Lifeboat Operations Manager Grahame Forshaw said: “The DLA is a crucial role, and he or she essentially deputises for me, authorising the launching of the lifeboat in consultation with the coastguards.

“It’s  challenging and rewarding voluntary work and currently involves  four days on 24 hour call once or twice a month.  A DLA should also be sufficiently IT literate to deal with the RNLI management system.”    

DLAs attend at least one crew training session a month, usually on a Tuesday evening or Sunday morning and also go to management and operational meetings. They may also arrange or attend events raising funds for the RNLI.

New members of the management team would attend a week-long residential training course at the RNLI college in Poole.

Mr Forshaw added: “Maritime experience is not essential, but would help, and the DLA also needs to assist with management of the lifeboat station administration and the crew.”

Anyone interested in the DLA role should contact Adrian Ragbourne at adrian@ragbourne.com or call him on 07713 023670

January 2015                                                                          Lyme Regis  

New siren will alert town to lifeboat launches

A siren that alerts the town when the RNLI is about to answer an emergency call has been fitted to the lifeboat station in Lyme Regis.

Since the old maroons were withdrawn the charity has been looking for a suitable alternative to notify the public that a lifeboat is about to launch.

Following successful trials over recent years the RNLI has been installing the sirens at a number of lifeboat stations.

The siren is a voice notification followed by a distinctive ten second pulse sound and will be set off between the hours of 7am and 10pm when the crew is paged to an emergency.

Robert Aggas, RNLI Fleet Operations Manager, said : “The sirens were trialled in a number of locations and were well received.

“They will play an important role in keeping the public safe by ensuring they have enough notice to move to a safe area before the lifeboat launches in an emergency.

“They will also help in raising awareness of the charity’s lifesaving role , which we hope in turn  will inspire people to get involved and support us.”

Adrian Ragbourne, volunteer Deputy Launching Authority at the Lyme Regis lifeboat station, said  “A member of the crew will activate the siren just before we launch the lifeboat, and it is quite likely it will be heard throughout the town. 

“But it may also be heard at sea by the people we are going out to help, and so will give them reassurance that assistance is on the way.”

The last two maroons were launched at the Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat station in September 2011 to coincide with the unveiling of a memorial to lifeboat volunteers who have lost their lives at sea.

The RNLI ceased to use maroons as they were regarded as outdated and unnecessary with the introduction of better communications, such as pagers. 

It is expected that the new siren will be heard for the first time on Sunday morning at the regular training session for the lifeboat crew.

5 January 2015                                                                                   Lyme Regis

Shouts total

Lifeboat volunteers in Lyme Regis answered 31 emergency calls during 2014 exactly same number as the year before.

RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager in the town, Grahame Forshaw, who is also the harbourmaster, said: “As in previous years, we continue to be asked to rescue sailors whose boats have broken down for one reason or another.

“My New Year’s message to boat owners would be to check all the basics before going to sea.

“It may seem obvious, but you have to make sure you have enough fuel for the journey you are going to make; check that all the life-saving equipment is in good order, radio, flares, lifejackets.

“Another piece of equipment that could be vital in the event of a breakdown is an anchor because the last thing you want is to find you have no power and the boat begins to drift.

“The majority of those who use our waters are very responsible, but sometimes we need reminding of the basics.”

Mr Forshaw said he and his staff in the harbourmaster’s office were always ready to answer questions from sailors such as sea conditions, the prevailing weather and safety issues.

2 January 2015                                                                                   Lyme Regis

 Lifeboat’s first ‘shout’ of New Year

Reports of an upturned tender near Golden Cap resulted in the first ‘shout’ of the New Year for the volunteers of the Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat today (Friday).

Solent coastguards requested the lifeboat to launch at 5.05pm, but after a widespread search nothing was found.

Coastguards stood down the lifeboat at 5.45pm.