Bembridge RNLI are the 2nd station to be awarded the RNLI Green Aware Award
Bembridge Lifeboat station was the 2nd station to be honoured with the Green Aware Award after Mudeford earlier this year, recognising the station and crew’s commitment who have taken active steps to reduce environmental impact while supporting a more sustainable future for lifesaving.
The award is part of the RNLI’s wider Environmental Sustainability Programme which pledges to improve climate resilience as well as reducing environmental impact by 2030. Guy Willing, Coxswain at Bembridge RNLI says, ‘It is fantastic to be recognised as a station as we have all made a conscious effort to be more thoughtful in how we can make a positive impact in our local area and ensuring that we can preserve it for future generations’.
The Green Aware Award was introduced to recognise stations whose actions align directly with RNLI’s ‘One Crew, One Plan’ strategy, it pledges that ‘by 2030 we will have improved our climate resilience and reduced environmental impact by making progress against our environmental goals’. The award is a way to recognise stations, affirming that actions stations take matters as well as supporting good practice which make a difference.
To receive an award, the station must demonstrate and complete 11 actions from a checklist that has been designed with real and practical criterias. Bembridge demonstrated actions in their day-to-day operations by improving efficiency in adapting training routes, reducing energy use by monitoring heating usage, cutting waste ensuring recycling bins are being used and reusing equipment where possible. Additionally, crew kits are well-looked after for longevity and kits are only ordered when crew become a permanent member. Locally, Bembridge RNLI is deeply involved in community environmental efforts, from supporting parish‑run litter picks to raising awareness of local habitats. Coxswain Guy Willing also represents the station as SOSREP, helping strengthen links between the RNLI and wider environmental partners. Alongside this, the crew has completed the Pollution Prevention and Spill Response Toolbox Talk, backed by a robust oil‑spill protocol that guides day‑to‑day operations.
Collectively across all stations these actions will have a positive effect contributing to a meaningful change across the whole RNLI organisation. As for Bembridge Lifeboat Station it is a proud moment as it has shown what can be achieved through simple, thoughtful actions and a willingness to embed sustainability into everyday lifesaving tasks, while protecting the immediate environment they operate in and setting a positive example.
RNLI Media Contacts
For further information, please contact:
Laura Campos Albuquerque, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI Bembridge, [email protected]
Jess Curtis, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for London and South East England, 07483 488243, [email protected]
Julie Rainey, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for London and South East England, 07827 358256, [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.
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