RNLI recognises a total of 163 years of service by four volunteers at Beaumaris
Four volunteers at Beaumaris lifeboat station have received long service medals from the R N L I. Due to the Covid 19 pandemic these could not be presented in a formal occasion. In the above socially distanced picture are Gareth Parry, Mike Stone, Simon Bunting and John Pulford.
Gareth has completed 48 years with the lifeboat originally as crew and emergency mechanic on the All-Weather Lifeboat which was withdrawn from service in 1991. He was a helm on the Blue Peter two Inshore Lifeboats, being one of the earliest lifeboat men to receive a Gold Blue Peter badge He is currently a Deputy Launching Authority at the station. In the course of his time with the RNLI he has been the recipient of two bravery awards. He has been a RNLI Standard bearer for 35 years. Displaying the standard on many occasions including at St. David hall Cardiff for a Remembrance Day service where he represented all the Welsh stations. One of his proudest memories is carrying the Queen Mother’s Standard in a Remembrance Day service at Albert Hall in London in front of Her Majesty the Queen when he represented all the U.K stations.
Mike has completed 43 years with the lifeboat initially as crew and then full-time mechanic on the All-Weather Lifeboat. He was the senior Helm on the Inshore Lifeboat Mike has been a guest at two of the Queen’s garden parties held at Buckingham Palace, in 1999 he was at the 100th birthday parade around London for the Queen Mother. His current role is as a Deputy Launching Authority at the station. In the course of his service he has been the recipient of two letters of thanks from the RNLI in recognition of his contribution during difficulty services.
Simon is the youngest of the group having completed 31 years’ service again staring as crew on the All-Weather Lifeboat and is currently the Inshore Lifeboat Station Mechanic as well as being a Helm of the current Atlantic 85 lifeboat. Simon has also received two letters of thanks from the RNLI in recognition of his contribution during difficulty rescues. He is a full time Assessor Trainer for the RNLI.
John has completed 41 years as a volunteer being a fund raiser, shore crew including launch vehicle driver, youth education officer, lifeboat press officer and visitor coordinator for the station.
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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