From HGV Driver to Lifeboat Crew at Weymouth RNLI
Ashley (Ash) Edwards, volunteer lifeboat crew member at Weymouth Lifeboat Station, never imagined that a family holiday to Weymouth would completely change the direction of his life.
Originally from Coventry, Ash relocated to Dorset with his wife and children in 2021 after falling in love with the area during a visit to the coast. Now settled in Weymouth and living less than ten minutes from the lifeboat station, Ash has become one of the newest volunteer crew members at Weymouth RNLI to successfully pass his Tier 2 Lifeboat Crew qualification on the station’s Inshore Lifeboat (ILB).
The achievement marks the culmination of two years of intensive training, practical assessments and theory work. Ash said: “I’ve always loved being around the water. My wife and I do recreational scuba diving and we just enjoy being on the sea. When I saw there were volunteer vacancies at the lifeboat station, it just felt like something I wanted to do. “I also wanted to help people. That’s what it comes down to really.”
Despite having no maritime background before joining the RNLI, Ash says the organisation’s training programme gave him the confidence and skills needed to become an operational crew member. “You don’t need boating experience when you join,” he explained. “The RNLI train you from scratch. Even now, after passing Tier 2, the training never stops.”
The Tier 2 qualification allows crew members to become fully operational on the ILB, including driving the vessel under supervision, assisting with rescues and acting as an essential extra set of eyes for the helm during incidents at sea. “In an emergency, everybody has responsibility for the safety of the boat and the crew,” Ash said. “You’re constantly scanning the water, looking for hazards, people in the water, fishing gear or anything that could become a problem.” Although he admits the classroom theory side of the Tier 2 qualification proved challenging at times, Ash says the support from fellow crew members helped him through. “The station really is like a second family,” he said. “Everybody helps each other and wants to see you succeed.”
Away from the lifeboat station, Ash recently launched his own mobile motor vehicle mechanic business after years working as an HGV driver. The role gives him the flexibility to respond when Weymouth RNLI need him, with volunteer crew members able to be called to emergencies at any hour of the day or night. “If my pager goes off, I might need to leave a job and respond to a shout,” Ash explained. “Thankfully, customers are usually really supportive when they hear I’m part of the lifeboat crew.”
Ash says volunteering with the RNLI is something that affects his whole household, not just him as an individual crew member. “It’s definitely not just an individual commitment, it’s a family commitment too,” he said. “My wife encouraged me to apply in the first place and she’s been fully supportive from day one.” Whether it is during a family meal, a social occasion or in the early hours of the morning, Ash knows the pager can sound at any moment. “You never know when the pager’s going to go off,” he said. “It could be two o’clock in the morning or halfway through dinner with the family.”
Looking ahead, Ash hopes to continue progressing within the RNLI, with ambitions to continue his training to become Helm or Afloat Mechanic. For now, he is simply proud to officially become part of Weymouth RNLI’s operational crew. Ash could not have imagined ten years ago that he would one day be living in Weymouth and volunteering to help save lives at sea, a remarkable achievement and a proud milestone for both Ash and Weymouth RNLI.
If you’re interested in becoming part of the RNLI family and making a difference in your local community, find out more about current volunteering opportunities at https://rnli.org/support-us/volunteer/volunteering-opportunities.
RNLI Media Contacts
For further information, please contact:
Lucy Erskine, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI South West, [email protected]
Emma Haines, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for South West England, 07786 668847, [email protected]
Amy Caldwell, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for South West England, 07920 818807, [email protected]
RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.