Kirkwall RNLI volunteer retires after more than twenty years

Chris, like many RNLI volunteers in Orkney past and present, has spent a lifetime at sea or in associated maritime roles. He became a Master (Captain) when he was only thirty years old but returned home to Orkney permanently in the late 1980’s.

Chris spent nine years with the merchant navy on deep sea freight, the ships that transport commercial goods across oceans. Following this role, he worked offshore, for seven years, on multifunctional diving support vessels (DSVs), which include specialist equipment, for example, decompression chambers and equipment to handle complex underwater construction.

At home, Moira, Chris’ wife, was bringing up their two girls but had become linked to the RNLI in Orkney through close friends. Family friends, Dr Sydney Peace, his wife Helen Peace and their son, Ronnie, also had links to the sea. Sydney volunteered as a medic for the Longhope lifeboat, Ronnie joined the Royal Navy and Helen volunteered for the Ladies Lifeboat Guilds.

This family were the greatest influence on Chris and Moira, as well as Chris’ half-brother who volunteered on one of Kirkwall’s former lifeboats, RNLB Grace Paterson Ritchie. Moira joined the Kirkwall Guild in the early 1980’s, at this time there were seventeen lifeboat guilds on Mainland Orkney and more lifeboat guilds on the outer isles. These guilds are much reduced in number, but Moira is still volunteering after decades of service.

Chris said, ‘I never thought about joining the volunteer boat crew when I was younger because I was always at sea for 6 months at a time. However, when I was at home from long spells at sea, I unofficially helped the Kirkwall Lifeboat Guild alongside my wife.

‘My time at home meant I could spend much more time with my wife and children because I was off shift but leaving to return to sea was becoming more difficult each time I Ieft.’

In 1989 Chris had made the move to return home to Orkney permanently, first taking the position of Master on the MV Varagen, when she was running from Burwick to Gills Bay and, after only a short period, becoming a Marine Officer. This role involved the management of the pilot boats and large shipping in the area.It wasn’t until the early 2000’s that Chris became more involved, taking on the Lifeboat Press Officer (LPO) volunteer role at Kirkwall RNLI. At the time Graham Smith was the Lifeboat Operations Manager (LOM), a role that retiring Coxswain Jim Mitchell then took over for a year. When Jim decided that being LOM wasn’t for him Chris took over this role, which he remained in until 2023.

For the last few years Chris remained part of the shore crew in the Launch Authority role at Kirkwall Lifeboat Station. At the grand age of seventy Chris decided to retire from his LA volunteer role. However, we will still see him helping at fundraising events and in his other volunteer role at St. Magnus Centre. The RNLI are extremely grateful for his service, and he is a well-liked member of the community in Orkney.

Chris said, ‘We have enjoyed being part of the Lifeboat family here in Kirkwall and further afield. I am always so impressed with the dedication of the crew – that is the whole crew from boat crew to the fundraising teams. The RNLI is a great institution to be involved with.’

Notes to editors: 95% of the RNLI's total workforce are volunteers. They give up their own time to train and act as boat crew, launch crew, fundraisers and lifeboat press officers. The RNLI saved 272 lives during 2025 and aided 8,290 people.

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Erica Niven, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI Kirkwall, [email protected]

Richard Smith, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]

Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Scotland, 07920 365929, [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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