Sheerness lifeboat crew member is rewarded for long service
Having completed 30 years service with the Sheerness RNLI lifeboat a crew member is honoured for his achievement.
Sheerness RNLI lifeboat volunteer Steve Spoor was honoured by his crew mates at the lifeboat stations annual dinner which took place on Saturday 20 January 2018 at Sheerness Golf Club.
Steve first became involved with the Sheerness lifeboat at the age of 14 when he used to visit the station with his dad Brian who was a crew member.
Being too young to be on the crew himself Steve would make himself useful by brewing tea and cleaning cars for the crew members.
Steve became a full crew member and got his pager on 31 July 1985, the day he passed his driving test which enabled him to make his own way to the lifeboat station in Sheerness Dockyard.
The Sheerness RNLI lifeboat has been a real family affair for the Spoor family with Steve’s dad Brian being the first to join the crew in 1977 followed by his other sons, Brian jnr. and Stewart who were then joined by Steve himself.
Steve who is now the only family member on the crew has served as helmsman on the inshore boat and is now assistant mechanic on the all weather lifeboat The George and Ivy Swanson.
Having attended many call outs during his now 30 plus years’ service one of Steve’s most memorable shouts was to a singlehanded yacht that had run aground in atrocious conditions on the West Barrow Bank some 10 nautical miles from Sheerness. In extremely rough conditions the crew of the all-weather lifeboat managed to save the lone yachtsman and also his yacht.
One of Steve’s other achievements as a crew member is that he still holds the record for the number of calls attended in one day when some years ago with a strong offshore wind blowing he was called out no less than nine times to rescue windsurfers who were being blown out to sea by the strong winds.
Steve was presented with a framed commendation for his long service by Sheerness RNLI lifeboat operations manager Nigel Budden followed by a gift of travel vouchers from his crew mates which was presented to him by Sheerness lifeboat coxswain Robin Castle MBE who also presented Steve’s wife Sue with a large bouquet of flowers in recognition of her support during his years as a crew member.
Ends
Media contacts:
• Vic Booth RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer (Sheerness) 07926904453 / 01795 880544 [email protected] / [email protected]
Paul Dunt RNLI Press Officer S.E. [email protected] 07785296252
• For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 33678
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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