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All I want for Christmas is to thank you

Three crew members share their letters to Santa, filled with grateful milestones and glad tidings from 2019 – all thanks to the special supporters that made it happen.

Swanage lifeboat crew say Thank You

We’re as prepared as can be thanks to our supporters’

Andy Mason, Second Coxswain, Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Lifeboat Station 

Dear Santa, 

Like all years, 2019 was full of ups and downs – but my highlight was watching my family enjoy our first holiday abroad together. I’ll never forget the look on my daughters’ faces as they experienced their first plane journey (or how quick they were to tell me we’re doing it again next year!) 

It’s also been a busy year at the lifeboat station – not just for shouts but with training, too. I passed out as mechanic for our all-weather Trent lifeboat Samarbeta, while others started training to become helms, trainee coxswains and navigators to name a few. 

That’s why I’d love it if you could bring our crews a quiet and enjoyable Christmas, Santa. And if the call for help does come please help us, and the people we rescue, be safe. 

We’re as prepared as can be for an emergency thanks to our supporters. Without their kindness, we wouldn’t have the best equipment and training available to help people in need. What could be more special than that? 

My Christmas wish would be to say thank you to them – and to wish them a very Merry Christmas.

Your friend,

Andy

Andrew Mason crew member at Great Yarmouth Lifeboat Station
Andrew Mason, crew member at Great Yarmouth Lifeboat Station

‘As crew, we do what we do because it means so much to the community’

Ally Brisby, Crew Member, Whitby Lifeboat Station

Dear Santa,

2019 was a great year. It was my third year of living here in Whitby, and my second year on the lifeboat crew. I still feel very privileged to be a part of it. 

I passed my probation to become a full crew member on our all-weather lifeboat George and Mary Webb this year – and I’ve just passed as crew on our inshore lifeboat Warter Priory, too. 

The good cheer has spread all throughout the station. Three new crew members have joined, who are all doing really well. And it’s been great to see some existing volunteers pass out at helms for the inshore D class. It’s been a very successful year.

My husband and I don’t do presents, but what I’d really like for Christmas is for us to go out for a nice meal together and see friends that we don’t always get to see. You know how quickly the year goes!

And my Christmas wish for the crew is that we continue to be a great team. It’s been amazing to see others get new qualifications they’ve worked so hard for.

I’d really like to thank our supporters for all their well wishes and support in 2019. Just last week, a lady spotted me in my crew t-shirt – she came over and said: “Thank you so much for everything you do”. 

Little things like that mean the world. I still can’t believe random strangers are willing to stop and thank us. As crew, we do what we do because it means so much to the community. 

So, please give our supporters a Merry Christmas, Santa. To be able to rely on their kindness when we’re busier than ever, has made our year. It all happens because of them. 

Your friend,

Ally

Ally Brisby crew member at Whitby Lifeboat Station
Ally Brisby, crew member at Whitby Lifeboat Station

‘So many families and friends are spending Christmas together, because of our supporters’

 Al Kassim, Crew Member, Tower Lifeboat Station 

Dear Santa,

Between family, work and the lifeboats, 2019 has flown by – and I’ve made a lot of happy memories. I started the year by completing my RYA Yachtmaster qualification which has been a lifelong ambition of mine. I love the sea and sailing is what drew me to the RNLI.  

We’ve had a really busy year at Tower. So far, we’ve launched over 520 times to everything from an injured Harris’s hawk to a big multiagency rescue. The variety of our callouts amazes me every year.

This Christmas, I’d like nothing more than to be able to spend time with my family and catch up with friends. Between us, I’d obviously love a boat and a new motorbike, but I’ll be just as happy with socks and chocolate!

Most of all, Santa, I’d like our supporters to know that they really do save lives. We can’t do what we do without them. We’ve saved over 20 lives at Tower so far in 2019 – that’s so many families and friends who are grateful to be able to be spending Christmas with each other. It’s all because of them. 

If you could help bring our volunteers and supporters some peace this Christmas, you’d really make my year. And if the boat I wanted does end up in your sleigh – I’m always available to crew!

Your friend,

Al

Al Kassim from Tower lifeboat station
Al Kassim (pictured right), crew member at Tower Lifeboat Station

You help our volunteers brave the Perfect Storm this winter

Lifeboat crews all around the UK and Ireland are facing their toughest Christmas ever. Demand for our service is higher than ever, but income has gone down – it’s the Perfect Storm. Anything you can give to support our volunteers this Christmas will help them be there for the next emergency. You could help save the next life. Thank you for your invaluable support – and here’s wishing you a very Merry Christmas. 

Right now, RNLI lifesavers are facing the Perfect Storm. More people than ever need our help. But we can't save them all. Not without your support. Will you make a donation and help RNLI volunteers across the UK and Ireland save lives at sea?  

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