Crowds line the route for ‘the Grandfather of Exmouth RNLI Lifeboat Station’
Exmouth RNLI Staff, Crew, volunteers and many friends paid their respects today to a popular and long serving volunteer on the day of his funeral.
Volunteers and crew members from Exmouth RNLI past and present, RNLI Staff together with many friends and acquaintances attended Exmouth Lifeboat Station in Queens Drive, Exmouth today Friday 2nd July 2021 to pay their respects to Don Hodgkinson, a long serving and well respected RNLI volunteer who died on 12 June after a short illness.
Don started his 24 years of volunteering as Box Secretary at the Exmouth RNLI Lifeboat Station in June 1998, Deputy Launch Authority and Sea Safety Advisor from June 2003 until May 2011, Exmouth RNLI Boathouse Manager from 2011 to the present and became Chair of the Fundraising Team in 2007 – a post he held for 11 years.
In 2018 he received his RNLI Badge and Certificate for completing 20 years exemplary service with the Lifesaving Charity from the then Chairman of the RNLI, Charles Hunter-Pease, “in recognition of his invaluable and loyal support to the Exmouth Lifeboat Fundraising Team. His dedicated volunteering and fundraising efforts as Chair, will help the RNLI to continue to save lives at sea.”
“To the Grandfather of Exmouth Lifeboat Station – Thank you and Rest in Peace.”
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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