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Newbiggin Volunteer 90th birthday

Lifeboats News Release

Tim Martin our oldest volunteer celebrated his 90th birthday on station.

Volunteers gather to celebrate a special birthday

RNLI/Mark Pearson

Newbiggin Veteran volunteer 90th birthday
The Newbiggin volunteer team gathered to make Tim's 90th a rememberable day with a presentation of a book, a special cake along with a card signed by us all.

Tim has always been a part of the Newbiggin Lifeboat family beginning his days on the Liverpool class lifeboat 'Richard Ashley' during the 1950's with a role eventually as second mechanic. Tim continued his voluntary lifesaving on the next and final offshore lifeboat here 'Mary Joicey' where he was part of the delivery crew from the Buckie boatyard and was awarded a Vellum certificate for a difficult rescue in 1975. In later years he took on roles including winch man, tractor driver and deputy launching authority then onto his current role as boathouse manager.

Tim's voluntary commitment to the RNLI has been continuous over the last 65 years and he was recently award the RNLI medal for his services. He continues to support the station in any way he can including sign writing the black service boards.

Outside the RNLI Tim was part of the delivery team for the Newbiggin Maritime Centre which included bring home our last offshore lifeboat 'Mary Joicey', carrying out its restoration and housing it on permanent display in the new Centre. He also brought back and restored Newbiggin's first lifeboat tractor T50 which was found derelict in Ireland.

For more information please telephone Richard Martin, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer Newbiggin on 07980 010544 or [email protected] or contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789

If you would like to find out more about Newbiggin lifeboat station, its volunteers and its heritage then take a look at the local website.

Tim with Matthew Tatters - some 72 years apart

RNLI/Mark Pearson

Our oldest and our youngest
At sea on Richard Ashley

RNLI/Richard Martin

Tim (left) on the Richard Ashley
Tim (second left) on the Mary Joicey passage from boatyard

RNLI/Richard Martin

Mary Joicey 1966 heading home

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.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

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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