Former RNLI lifeguard qualifies as Tenby RNLI helm at just 20

Eddie, who joined the Tenby RNLI lifeboat crew as soon as he could at aged 18, has quickly progressed through the ranks thanks to his dedication, commitment to training and experience in the water.

Before becoming a lifeboat crew member, Eddie served as a RNLI lifeguard from the age of 16, helping keep beachgoers safe along the Pembrokeshire coast. This year marks 25 years of RNLI lifeguards, a service that has helped save lives, prevent accidents, and keep millions of beach visitors safe around the UK coastline. Eddie’s passion for the sea and water safety led naturally to volunteering with the lifeboat crew, where he has developed the skills and leadership required to become a helm.

As a helm on the inshore lifeboat, Eddie is responsible for leading the crew and making key decisions during search and rescue operations, a role that carries significant responsibility. Away from Tenby Lifeboat Station, Eddie enjoys surfing and maintaining a high level of fitness. His athletic achievements have also seen him be selected onto the Team GB talent athlete pathway for skeleton, the high-speed winter sport in which competitors race head-first down an ice track.

Eddie said: ‘Qualifying as a helm is something I've worked towards since joining the crew, so I'm really proud to have reached this stage. The training has been challenging but incredibly rewarding, and I couldn't have done it without the support of everyone at Tenby Lifeboat Station.

‘I've spent much of my life in and around the water through lifeguarding, surfing and the RNLI, so being able to help lead our inshore lifeboat crew and support people when they need us most means a great deal to me.’

Tenby RNLI’s full-time Coxswain Gary Waring, who also happens to be Eddie’s dad, said: ‘Seeing Eddie qualify as a helm is a proud moment for all of us at the station, but especially for me as his dad.

‘I've watched him develop over the years as a RNLI lifeguard and then bringing all that experience over to his lifeboat crew role and now becoming a helm. To reach this milestone at just 20 years old is a fantastic achievement and reflects the commitment, maturity and skill he brings to the role.

‘The RNLI has been a huge part of Eddie's life from a young age, and it's been rewarding to see him embrace every opportunity. We hope Eddie's journey inspires other young people in our community to get involved with the RNLI. The charity offers incredible opportunities to learn new skills, challenge yourself and make a real difference.

‘Everyone at Tenby RNLI is delighted to see him reach this important milestone and we look forward to seeing him continue to develop as a helm.’

Tenby RNLI volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the Pembrokeshire coast, responding to a wide range of incidents at sea and along the shoreline.

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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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