Poole RNLI lifesavers awarded Platinum Jubilee medal
As a token of thanks, volunteers at Poole Lifeboat Station have been awarded a special commemorative Platinum Jubilee medal in recognition of the 65,886 lives the charity has saved during Her Majesty’s 70-year reign.
The new commemorative medal has been created to mark The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The twenty-one volunteers who qualify for the medal have all served a minimum of five years’ service and collectively, have amassed 287 years of saving lives at sea between them.
In a special event hosted at the RNLI College on Sunday (12 June), Angus Campbell Esq, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset, presented thirteen of the medals to the recipients.
For three of the volunteers, this will be their third Jubilee Medal each having already received the Golden (awarded 2002) and Diamond (2012) medals with Jon Clark volunteering for 39 years, Paul Taylor, 29, and Dave Riley, 25 – collectively serving 93 years between them.
RNLI Chief Executive Mark Dowie said: ‘I am delighted to see so many RNLI volunteers and staff being recognised by this prestigious award alongside other frontline members of the emergency services, prison services and the Armed Forces.
‘The Platinum Jubilee medal follows a long history of awarding medals to mark Royal Jubilee celebrations, and this is the fourth medal under Her Majesty The Queen’s reign.
‘My congratulations and thanks go to all the recipients and our thousands of other volunteers and staff who work tirelessly to deliver our essential lifesaving services in our mission to save every one.’
During The Queen’s 70-year reign Poole Lifeboats have launched 5,864 times, saved 666 lives and aided almost 5,000 people.
Poole RNLI volunteers to receive the Platinum Jubilee Medal are: Rachael Bentley, Dave Bursey, Neil Ceconi, Jon Clark, Will Collins, Ed Davies, Alex Evans, Huggy Huggins, Rob Inett, Suzie Jupp, James Kilburn, Dave Knaggs, Oli Mallinson, Joe Manning, Steve Nelson, Mark Ponchaud, Steve Porter, Dave Riley, Lewis Singleton, Paul Taylor and Stirling Taylor.
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.
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