Port St. Mary RNLI volunteer David ‘Chick’ Kneen retires after 30 years service
David ‘Chick’ Kneen, Port St. Mary RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager recently served his final day volunteering for the RNLI after three decades with the charity that saves lives at sea.
In that time 68 lives were saved by the station’s lifeboat crew.
David joined Port St Mary RNLI as a crew member in 1989, as fourth generation crew for the station. During his time on the crew, he took part in around 60 all-weather lifeboat call outs and 10 inshore lifeboat call outs. These ‘shouts’ ranged from rescuing people, escorting or towing vessels with mechanical issues back to safety, searching for missing people and being on standby for an aircraft suffering with a technical issue on landing.
In 2004 David went on to become a Deputy Launch Authority for Port St Mary RNLI, taking turns being on-call as the authority for launching one or both of the station’s lifeboats when requested by the Coastguard, and passing on information on the situation to the Coxswain and crew on scene. After being a Deputy Launching Authority for seven years, David became the Lifeboat Operations Manager, overseeing the crew and making sure that the lifeboats were ready to go to sea at all times.
During David's three decades of service at Port St Mary RNLI, he has also been an active member of the fundraising branch and more recently the Lifeboat Press Officer for the station. On his retirement he was presented with a Certificate of Service which was signed by the Chief Executive of the RNLI and given a gift of a clock and barometer by the lifeboat crew.
Commenting on David’s retirement Port St. Mary Lifeboat Operations Manager Sarah Keggen says, ‘On behalf of everyone at Port St. Mary RNLI we wish our dear friend David ‘Chick’ Kneen fair seas and safe harbours. In his three decades with our station he has left an incredible legacy that won’t be forgotten. To serve in the RNLI at any level is an incredible achievement but to serve, as David as done, in multiple roles over decades takes a level of dedication and commitment to his community that is both selfless and generous. He retirement is well deserved.’
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RNLI media contacts
For more information please telephone Port St Mary RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer Michele Farrar Tel: 076 24342682 email: [email protected] or Nuala McAloon, Regional Media Officer on 00353 876483547 or [email protected] or Niamh Stephenson, Regional Media Manager on 00353 871254124 or [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.
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