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Falmouth RNLI volunteer passes final assessment to become a qualified coxswain

Lifeboats News Release

Crew member Adam West successfully completed his final assessment recently to become a fully qualified coxswain on Falmouth’s Severn class all-weather lifeboat Richard Cox Scott.

Adam West beside Falmouth’s Severn class all-weather lifeboat Richard Cox Scott

RNLI/Simon Culliford

Adam West beside Falmouth’s Severn class all-weather lifeboat Richard Cox Scott

Adam, whose father was a crew member at Bude Lifeboat Station, was keen to join the RNLI but when he first approached the station at Falmouth, there wasn’t a vacancy for him. Not to be put off, he decided to help station volunteers with a number of fund-raising events until a space became available. He joined the crew about a year later in August 2010.

Since then, Adam qualified as an all-weather lifeboat mechanic in 2016, a lifeboat training assessor in 2017 and an all-weather lifeboat navigator in 2021. He is also a crew member on the station’s B class Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat.

Adam was one of three crew members selected by the station to undertake a coxswains development plan and is the first to pass out. The plan started at the height of the pandemic so began with online training until being able to go afloat when the restrictions were lifted. He attended two courses at the RNLI College at Poole, all-weather lifeboat command and all-weather lifeboat handling. Adam said:

‘The training got more intense in the last four months but was invaluable in gaining confidence for being responsible for the other crew members and a £2.5 million pound lifeboat. I’ve now experienced my first time in command since passing out when I took the lifeboat out on exercise recently. The next milestone will be my first service in command.’

Speaking about Adam’s achievement, Falmouth RNLI Coxswain Jonathon Blakeston said:

‘Adam has done very well, it has taken about 18 months of hard work, devotion and commitment to achieve what he has. He is the start of the next generation of coxswains at Falmouth which is really important for the station’s future.’

RNLI media contacts

For more information please contact Simon Culliford, RNLI Volunteer Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer on 07971986978 or [email protected] or Emily Hazard, RNLI Regional Media Officer [email protected] or the RNLI Press Office 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 146,000 lives.

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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.

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