Mayor Deborah finds her sea legs with Donaghadee RNLI

The Mayor spent more than an hour in the choppy North Channel with the crew of Donaghadee RNLI onboard their all-weather lifeboat Saxon, and watched as the volunteers practiced man overboard drills and a range of other emergency procedures. The Mayor was given a briefing about the work of the RNLI by Deputy Coxswain John Ashwood and took the wheel as Saxon reached top speed of 25 knots beyond the Copeland Islands.

Mayor Girvan said she was ‘thrilled’ to join the crew for an exercise and was so keen to see them at work that she turned up 40 minutes early at the lifeboat station: ‘The borough has 115 miles of coastline and three lifeboat stations so I feel it is important to support the RNLI’s fundraising efforts.’

The RNLI is one of three charities chosen by the Mayor and will receive support at the end of her year of office. Later Donaghadee RNLI Chairman Alan Couser presented the Mayor with a token of the crew’s appreciation of her support.

Alan said: ‘We were delighted to show the Mayor how RNLI volunteers save lives at sea and hope she will become a regular visitor to the station. Not every busy public figure is willing to leave their family on a Sunday morning to be tossed around on a lifeboat so the Mayor’s support for our fundraising efforts is very welcome.’
Ends

Photo Details
From left pictured during a presentation to the Mayor, Ross Bennett, John Ashwood, Michael Field, Alan Couser, Nicky Butler, Simon Oldfield, Mayor Deborah Girvan and Iain Kaleda. 

RNLI Media Contacts
For information please contact Maurice Neill, Donaghadee RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 0771 8160865, email [email protected] or Twitter @Ailsapress or contact Niamh Stephenson RNLI Public Relations Manager on 00 353 1 8900 460 or 00 353 87 1254 124 email [email protected] or Nuala McAloon RNLI Press Officer Tel: 00 353 87 6483547 email [email protected]

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.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

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.