Keeping up a family tradition as teenagers join their fathers at Swanage RNLI
Swanage, like many RNLI stations, has had a strong history of generations of families volunteering as crew members. Several families from the town have strong links to the station - and that tradition looks set to continue.
Felix Williams and Morgan Woodford are no exception. Both sons of volunteer lifeboat crew, after celebrating their 17th birthdays (the minimum age to join the crew) they've both taken the decision to sign up and start training to help save lives at sea. In following in their fathers' footsteps they've become the youngest volunteers at the lifeboat station.
Felix is the son of Steve Williams, a long-standing member of the Swanage crew with over 20 years’ service on both the inshore and all-weather lifeboat. Morgan is the son of Roydon Woodford a crew member with eight years’ service on the all-weather lifeboat. This now makes three father and sons currently serving at the Swanage Station with more in the pipeline.
Felix said: ‘I am delighted to join the crew here at Swanage. I've grown up watching my Dad volunteer and seeing the difference the RNLI makes in our community and I want to be a part in that. I'm so proud to have my own pager.’
Steve said: ‘I am proud to see him carrying a pager. I bet it gets him out of bed quicker than I have ever been able to.’
Morgan said: ‘I am really proud to be getting the chance to be part of the RNLI with my Dad. I'm looking forward to the training ahead and can’t wait to put it into practice. Some of my earliest memories are seeing him run to respond to the pager. I have known many of the crew since I was a small child, so it feels like my family just got bigger, especially by joining at the same time as a fellow school friend.’
Roydon described his feelings at seeing his son heading out to sea: ‘I’m very proud of Morgan, it’s a rare opportunity to be able to serve with one of your children and Morgan has come to the decision very naturally and for his own reasons. The RNLI is a historic institution and something I have been very honoured to be a part of for eight years.. To know that my family will continue the tradition and help to save lives at sea makes me very proud.’
Now the training begins...
If you are interested in volunteering at your lifeboat station then check out the RNLI website www.rnli.org for the latest volunteering information or contact your local station directly.
FOOTER
Notes to Editors
Photos shows Swanage RNLI volunteer Morgan Woodford and Felix Williams, credit RNLI/RoydonsPhotography
RNLI media contacts
For more information please telephone Roydon Woodford, Swanage RNLI Volunteer Deputy Press Officer on 07542 942022 or at [email protected]
Paul Dunt, RNLI Regional Media Officer, South East and London (07785) 296252 [email protected]
RNLI online
For more information on the RNLI please visit www.rnli.org.uk. News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the RNLI Press Centre www.rnli.org.uk/press
Key facts about the RNLI
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is the charity that saves lives at sea. Our volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service in the United Kingdom and Ireland from 238 lifeboat stations, including four along the River Thames and inland lifeboat stations at Loch Ness, Lough Derg, Enniskillen and Lough Ree. Additionally the RNLI has more than 1,000 lifeguards on over 240 beaches around the UK and operates a specialist flood rescue team, which can respond anywhere across the UK and Ireland when inland flooding puts lives at risk.
The RNLI relies on public donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. As a charity it is separate from, but works alongside, government-controlled and funded coastguard services. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824 our lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved at least 140,000 lives. Volunteers make up 95% of the charity, including 4,600 volunteer lifeboat crew members and 3,000 volunteer shore crew. Additionally, tens of thousands of other dedicated volunteers raise funds and awareness, give safety advice, and help in our museums, shops and offices.
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.