When his pager sounded an RNLI crewman forgot about his wedding

Dan Holland was called out during the night on the search, just hours before his wedding, and only managed to grab a little sleep before his big day.

Now, Dan, 38, has thrown his backing behind the RNLI’s annual Mayday fundraising event and he urged the public to remember that the charity’s volunteer crews have to drop everything when their pager sounds.

Dan joined the RNLI at Kessock nine years ago and in 2011 he married Erica at Cawdor Church, Cawdor, Nairn. The couple now have a two-year-old child, Malin, and live in Ullapool.

He and his fellow crew members searched the River Ness for three-and-a-half-hours looking for a missing person until the early hours on 17 June, 2011. It was only when the crew had completed the search and Dan was back on dry land that someone reminded him he was due to get married later that day, so he better get back home to bed!

Returning home as it was getting light, Dan went to bed and rose three hours later for his wedding.

Dan said: ‘When the pager beeped, I didn’t think twice before dashing straight to the lifeboat station. Like all of the RNLI’s volunteer crew members, I know that when the pager beeps you have to stop whatever you’re doing to go and save lives at sea.

‘While we were out searching for the missing person, the fact that I was getting married later that day didn’t even enter my head. In fact, it was only when we returned to the station and one of the guys reminded me that I was getting married in a few hours that I went home again to try and get some sleep!’

Every day is Mayday for the RNLI’s lifeboat crews, who are specially-trained volunteers, on-call 24/7 to save lives at sea. Whatever the weather, day or night, they are ready to drop everything and launch the lifeboats to rescue anyone in danger at sea around the coast. But, as a charity, the lifesaving service they provide is only possible thanks to the generous support of the public.

Many of this year’s Mayday fundraising events in Scotland have a yellow welly theme in a nod to the yellow wellies – an iconic and essential piece of lifesaving kit worn by crews. The money raised could fund anything from crew training and lifeboats, to vital equipment like wellies and lifejackets.

To donate, visit RNLI.org/MaydayWedding or text Mayday to 70300 to donate £3. To join in on social media, use the hashtag #MaydayEveryday.

Pictures: Dan at Kessock lifeboat station, and Dan and his wife Erica on their wedding day.

RNLI media contacts:

Richard Smith, RNLI Public Relations Manager Scotland on 01738 642956, 07786 668903 or [email protected]

Henry Weaver, RNLI Press Officer for Scotland, 01738 642946, 07771 943026, [email protected]

RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789.

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity 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 146,000 lives.

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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.