Longhope RNLI celebrates coxswain pass out

On Tuesday 29 August, Scott Johnston complete his final assessment with RNLI Assessor Trainer, David Orr, after months of hard work and quiet determination, meaning he is the new coxswain for Longhope RNLI.

Scott is following on from a remarkable family line of deeply respected Longhope lifeboatmen, with his great grandfather, Robert Johnston, being a mechanic, and his grandfather, James Johnston, as second coxswain. Scott's great uncle, Robert Johnston junior was also a crew member.

The family line goes back even further through the generations to Longhope RNLI's first coxswain, Benjamin Stout (1874-1900).

A spokesperson for Longhope RNLI says: 'We would like to say a huge thank you to Scott for taking on this essential role for Longhope RNLI lifeboat and to offer our massive congratulations. We are very proud of him.

'We'd also like to thank our volunteer crew, deputy coxswains and mechanics for supporting Scott during his training period, and also Regional Resilience Coxswain, Darren Harcus, for stepping in when necessary, and to David Orr for his valuable guidance.'

Notes to editors

· Longhope lifeboat station has been operating since 1874. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/longhope-lifeboat-station

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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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