The Mumbles mourns loss of Longest serving crew member
'He dedicated his life to his family and the lifeboat'
Brian Jeffrey sadly passed away on Wednesday.
Brian was one of the longest serving RNLI volunteers, he joined the crew at the Mumbles aged just 15 and went on to complete over 55 years of service to the charity. In that time Brian was a member of the crew on inshore and all weather lifeboats and later became winch man at the Mumbles station.
Launch Operations manager at the Mumbles Tim Conway said ‘Brian was an amazing example to the volunteers at the RNLI. He always joked that to get on the crew he told a little white lie about his age so he could join a year early. There is nothing we could have asked more from a volunteer. He was regularly honoured by The RNLI for his bravery and length of service. I had the honour of presenting Brian with his last Velum from Poole just a couple of years ago to mark his retirement as crew member.
After his official retirement from service Brian continued to come to the station every day. He emptied collecting tins from venues across the area and banked the money which is so essential to keep our lifeboats launching, He organised school visits and enjoyed ensuring the kids were reminded of the dangers of the sea.
Brian was part of a family dedicated to life boating, something his son Adam continues as a crew member today. I can not understate the hole left by Brian at the station. We will all miss him terribly.’
Brians family would like to thank everyone for their very kind messages. Funeral arrangements will be announced in the usual way soon.
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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