Brighton RNLI volunteers awarded Platinum Jubilee medal

The medal, created to mark The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, recognises frontline emergency services personnel who have completed five full calendar years of paid, retained or voluntary service, as of 6 February 2022.

The 12 volunteers at Brighton RNLI are among 4,500 volunteers and frontline staff from across the Royal National Lifeboat Institution to receive the medal.

Roger Cohen MBE, Brighton RNLI’s Lifeboat Operations Manager, and one of the medal recipients, said: ‘It’s an honour to receive this special commemorative medal alongside frontline colleagues from all sectors of the emergency services.

‘The RNLI in Brighton is run entirely by volunteers, and we could not do what we do without the selfless service and dedication of each individual member.

‘I’m sure we’ve all seen and enjoyed the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations over the last week so to have this small part of it means a lot to all of us.’

At the same ceremony two volunteer crew members –Livia Brynin and Ben Hylands – also received a Certificate of Commendation from the RNLI Medical Director for saving a life on a shout on August 24 2020.

Livia and Ben, along with crew members Roland Farrar and Beth Radford McNally, attended the shout off Hove Lawns just after 10pm where they spotted a female casualty who was recovered to the lifeboat, and given life-saving care before being transferred to the ambulance service.

Livia said: ‘I was not expecting this at all but I remember the shout really clearly.

‘It just reinforces how important the work of the RNLI is and I’m proud to be a part of that.

‘Seeing the hard work of all my colleagues that day drives home what an awesome team the group at Brighton RNLI are.'

Ben added: ‘We worked really well as a team that day making sure we moved as quickly and safely as we could to get the best outcome possible for the casualty.

‘You never know what you are going to get when that pager goes off but I’m just glad to know we all did the best we could and had a positive outcome.'

The volunteers received their medal at a small ceremony held at the lifeboat station on Wednesday 8 June. Roger and Brighton RNLI chair Malcolm Harvey, presented the medals.

The volunteers who were awarded the Platinum Jubilee medal are: Beth Radford McNally, John Webster, Julian Cumberworth, Marcus Morris, Mark Nightingale, Mark Steele, Matthew Humphrey, Patrick Connelly, Phil Jones, Roger Cohen, Roland Farrar and Olivia Davison.

ENDS

RNLI media contacts

Hatti Mellor, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, Brighton RNLI [email protected]

Paul Dunt, Regional Media Officer, London and South East 07785 296252 [email protected]

For enquiries outside normal business hours contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789

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 142,700 lives.