First Christmas on call for new crew at New Brighton RNLI
It’ll be a different Christmas experience this year for several new crew members at New Brighton Lifeboat station.
As the RNLI launches its Christmas Appeal, there are no fewer than 11 new crew members who will be spending the festive period with their pagers close at hand in New Brighton.
With a mixture of trainee crew, new tractor drivers and a new press officer all having taken up post this year, Christmas might prove a slightly different experience for the volunteers this time around.
Established in 1863, New Brighton’s crews have been saving lives at sea for almost 160 years. Currently home to an Atlantic 85 B-Class Lifeboat, the Wirral-based station have had a busy summer and are anticipating a potentially busy winter too. Indeed, in the Wales and North West region, RNLI lifeboats have launched nearly 100 times and aided 49 people over the last five Christmas periods.
Christmas is a time for family and friends, but Tristan Dickson, Tom Varley, Fliss Green, Hayden Smith, Bruno Verdier, Rob Leech, Connor Wray, Liz Henderson, Paul Baldwyn, Andy Lawler and Lauren Francom will all be ready to leave their loved ones this Christmas, as they spend their holidays on hand to save anyone and everyone that might need them, for the first time.
For new crew member, Tom, the pager would certainly signify a new experience at Christmas: ‘The pager going off would break a 39-year-old tradition for me, as I’ve never been outside on a Christmas day! Whilst I’m hoping everybody on the coast stays safe this Christmas so I can continue that streak, I’ll be right there if needed, of course.’
Trainee crew member, Connor, who will be on call throughout Christmas day and night, said: ‘Volunteering for the RNLI is an incredible experience and I have learned so much this year already. The training has been exceptional and the bond between the crew is second to none. I am incredibly proud to be a representative of this station and to have a small role to play in keeping everybody safe on the water.’
No rescue would be possible without the generosity of the RNLI’s supporters and their donations. This helps to fund essential kit, lifesaving equipment and training resources that are needed by lifeboat crews all year round.
To donate to the RNLI’s Christmas Appeal, visit: RNLI.org/Xmas
Notes to Editors:
New Brighton RNLI was established in 1863 in the bustling seaside resort of New Brighton, on the north east corner of the Wirral peninsula. They cover the River Mersey and out into the Irish Sea.
The station is home to a B-class Atlantic 85 lifeboat, one of the fastest in the RNLI fleet. The crews at New Brighton have been presented with a remarkable 48 awards for gallantry to date.
RNLI Media Contacts
Connor Wray – Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer (DLPO)
07756553092
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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