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RNLI New Brighton reflect on busy year at station

Lifeboats News Release

With the end of the year fast approaching, the volunteer crew at New Brighton RNLI are reflecting on another busy year.

New Brighton's lifeboat battles big waves. A wind farm can be seen in the background.

RNLI

New Brighton's Atlantic-85 lifeboat in action

It has another busy year for RNLI New Brighton this year, a station that has been saving lives at sea since 1863. It follows the previous 3 years which have been the some of the busiest on record at the station.

The volunteer crew were especially active over the summer period. They dealt with varied and memorable shouts, from 10-hour searches, to towing vessels in difficulty, to ‘rescuing’ some 80th birthday balloons, and everything in between.

There has also been a transitional period for the Wirral-based station’s press team has seen departing Lifeboat Press Officer (LPO) Garreth Berry replaced by Lauren Francom, with a new Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer (DLPO), Connor Wray, now in post alongside her. The station has also taken on several new lifeboat and shore crew this year.

These new appointments mark an exciting new chapter for the station, home to an Atlantic 85 B-Class Lifeboat.

The committed volunteer crew at New Brighton continue to be available and on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for incidents on the River Mersey and beyond.

Lifeboat Operations Manager (LOM), Ian Thornton, said: ‘This summer was a very challenging period for our brilliant crew, but as always, they dealt with everything that the season threw at them admirably and professionally. We are all thankful things are a bit quieter now, but the message is always the same, regardless of the time of year – if you see something unfolding on the water, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.’

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.

Connor Wray – Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer (DLPO)

07756553092

[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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