
Torbay RNLI volunteer recognised in King’s New Year Honours
Ian ‘Barney’ Barnaby, a volunteer crew member at Torbay RNLI, who has dedicated over 20 years to the RNLI and has been instrumental in raising over £100,000 for his local station, has been recognised in His Majesty The King’s New Year Honours for his role in helping the charity save lives at sea.
Barney is awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM). Starting as one of the first helms when the RNLI established a lifeboat service on the River Thames in 2002, Barney move to Devon in 2013 and went on to join the volunteer crew at Torbay RNLI in 2014.
Barney is a volunteer crew and navigator for Torbay RNLI and to date, he has attended 471 shouts, aiding 234 people and saving 14 lives, but it is his contribution to the wider RNLI and Brixham community where he has left the greatest mark.
Barney was the driving force behind the Kilimanjaro Challenge, a series of six challenges between May 22 and February 23, with the aim of raising as much money as possible for Torbay RNLI. Engaging with the local community and businesses, Barney led the team, not only to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in February, but to raising a total of £105,000, which will help fund and equip a new D class lifeboat for Torbay RNLI.
The fundraiser was a last hurrah before the oldest crew members retire over the next few years and included skydiving, endurance swimming, cycling, rowing, driving, and climbing to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. The entire Torbay lifeboat crew took part in different feats that pushed them outside their comfort zone, culminating in February 2023 with eight crew reaching the summit of the world’ highest freestanding mountain.
Barney was the heartbeat throughout this epic series – without his time, endless enthusiasm, and drive, it would not have happened. Since the climb, Barney and the team have held a number of talks in the local community to share an insight into their experiences, as well as an event to thank their key sponsors.
His efforts extend beyond the RNLI. In 2019, he persuaded the entire Torbay crew to join a running relay to aid Prostate Cancer UK in memory of a fellow crewmember, raising £15,000. And in March 2022, he selflessly instigated a move to assist those in need, encouraging five Torbay RNLI crew members to join him on a trip to Chervonohrad in Ukraine. Over a weekend, they travelled a round trip of 3,000 miles to deliver medicines, clothing, and food. He is also currently a volunteer coach at Galmpton United Football Club.
Barney’s energy and input has vastly improved the fabric of lifeboat family life in Brixham. His motivation, leadership and organisation skills are outstanding as he strives to create a more inclusive environment. Epitomising the RNLI’s values throughout, he is truly deserving of national recognition as he approaches his retirement from operational duty in 2025.
Barney, in receipt of a BEM said: ‘It was a complete shock to receive the letter saying that I was going to receive an honour.
‘None of us do what we do to receive recognition, however, I obviously feel very proud for myself and my family, but also for everyone at RNLI Torbay, we are incredibly close-knit and have achieved great things as a team.
‘My 21 years as crew, both at Tower and Torbay, has been immensely rewarding and I feel privileged to be part of such a fabulous organisation.'
In total five RNLI volunteers with 189 years of service between them, and an RNLI staff member and former volunteer, are among those who have been recognised by His Majesty The King for their incredible contribution to the charity as it approaches its 200th anniversary on 4 March.
RNLI Chief Executive, Mark Dowie said: ‘It is wonderful to see these six individuals recognised as we commence the RNLI’s 200th anniversary, each representing different roles across the charity which all make a significant contribution to saving lives at sea.
‘It is particularly poignant to see recognition for our longest standing seagoing crewmember in the Isle of Man, which is where our founder Sir William Hillary came from.
‘It is our people who make the RNLI one of the UK and Ireland’s most treasured institutions. All six recipients will be too humble to claim this recognition in their own right. For them it is all about the teams they volunteer and work with and the wider RNLI family which I am honoured to be part of. My congratulations to them all in this extra special year in the RNLI’s lifesaving history.’
Notes to editors
· An image of Barney is attached.
· Interviews available on request.
· For more information on how to volunteer for the RNLI, go to RNLI.org/support-us/volunteer
· To donate to the RNLI, go to RNLI.org/GoDonate
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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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