Long service recognised at Queensferry Lifeboat Station

On Thursday 9th June, Donald Quate was presented with the Long Service Award for his dedication over the years to the charity that is such a big part of his life. Joining the station as a volunteer crew member in 1976, Donald then became a helm for the Queensferry Lifeboat in 1980 and served actively for 12 years. After this he moved into the role of DLA, and still maintains this role as a part of RNLI Queensferry.

In one of his most memorable call-outs as a helm, Donald remembers being tasked in the early hours of a Saturday morning to a yacht that had run aground on the Drum Sands between South Queensferry and Cramond. The crew of the vessel had mistaken the lights of Hound Point Oil Terminal for the lights of Dalgety Bay and this led them to sail through increasingly shallow waters in a falling tide. When they therefore ran aground their confusion caused them give an incorrect position to the coastguard as they were requesting assistance and because of this it took the lifeboat some time to find the yacht. By the time the RNLI Queensferry Lifeboat located the vessel it was fully on its side on the sand and two crew were recovered safely onto the lifeboat.

Donald is an integral part of the RNLI Queensferry family although no biscuits are safe when he is around! All at the station are very proud of his achievement.

RNLI media contacts

RNLI Queensferry volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, Arabella  Kuszynska-Shields on 07502 379438 or [email protected]

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

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

Or contact 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.