100 not out for two Rhyl RNLI volunteers

The pair met when Jimmy moved from the Liverpool area with his family, and joined the local Life boys team at a church in town. Paul and Jimmy became friends then, and moved together to the 1st Rhyl Boys' Brigade on reaching 11 years old. They continued as teenagers with the Brigade, until a mutual friend mentioned he was joining the local lifeboat crew. The pair went to the station and were immediately hooked. The crew met informally and for some training on a Sunday morning, and the call of the station eventually overcame their Sunday mornings, and became the new 'religion' in their lives.
The two were so keen and wanted to join the crew that they helped out whenever they could, either at the shop in the station, or just generally helping to keep the station clean. They actually performed a rescue in the relatively-new inshore lifeboat when they were 14, rescuing two salmon fishermen who had capsized their salmon punt just off the boathouse in the surf. This service could not be recognised, as they were both under age to be lifeboat crew, but there were no crew available!
Eventually on achieving the age of 17, they were taken on the crew, and have remained with the Rhyl RNLI to this day.
Jimmy is currently one of the station's mechanics, and is well known throughout the RNLI in the UK, as he provides cover for mechanics at other stations who are on leave. He is known from Shetland (Scotland) to Dover (England), from Newquay (Wales) to Aldeburgh on the east coast of England, and also in Northern Ireland. Jimmy is qualified to be the mechanic on any class of lifeboat on station, apart from the new Shannon-class lifeboats.
Paul progressed through the volunteer ranks to be a crew member, helmsman in charge of the inshore lifeboat, through to mechanic and coxswain of the all-weather lifeboat. Paul is qualified in every role on the all-weather lifeboat. Both Jimmy and Paul retired from the inshore lifeboat on reaching the statutory finishing age of 45, but continued on the all-weather lifeboat. Paul was awarded the MBE for his services to the RNLI by HM the Queen in 2011. He is also the station's Press Officer.
Both Jimmy and Paul will reach 65 years of age in2019. This is the year when Rhyl RNLI volunteers will take charge of the new Shannon-class all-weather lifeboat.
Paul says ' Jim and I are proud to have served the lifeboat community in an operational role for 50 years. There will be few in the RNLI's ranks today who could match that achievement'.

The pictures show Jimmy (L) and Paul (R) in September 2018, leaning against the present launching tractor T93. The second picture shows Jimmy (2nd from left) and Paul (3rd from left) leaning against tractor T60 in 1969. The remaining pictures show the station service boards for the time when Jimmy and Paul joined.

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.