RNLI lifesavers from Chiswick prepare to answer the call this Christmas
Unlike nearly all coastal stations where crew are summoned from home by pagers, Chiswick is crewed 24/7.
The duty crew at the station make the most of the day when away from friends and family for a 12 hour shift. Although catering is not yet part of the RNLI training, in past years there has always been one of the crew who could prepare a festive feast while being ready to switch off the oven and launch rapidly when tasked. Generous donations of mince pies and sausage rolls keep the crew going while lunch is being prepared, local supporters drop in with more supplies.
Last Christmas the culinary skills of the crew were not required. The White Hart Pub in Barnes, under a mile from the station or one minute by lifeboat, provided a sumptuous take-out Christmas dinner.
The White Hart will be repeating its generosity this year. But on Christmas day in 2025 the crew will be settling into a new station four miles downstream at Wandsworth Riverside. Vastly improved facilities will be much more comfortable for crews during their 12 hour shifts, and a properly equipped galley will make it much easier to prepare a Christmas meal in the station.
Duty commander on Christmas day this year will be Mark Turrell. Mark said ‘It is hard missing the family on Christmas day and I know my grandchildren will miss my annual performance as Father Christmas. We know we may be needed at any time to save lives and we have the training and equipment to do this. Santa may have nine reindeer pulling his sleigh whereas we have 900 horses pulling ours!’
The E-Class RNLI lifeboats are unique to the Thames. Twin 450 hp engines drive the boat at 40 knots allowing crew to reach casualties well within the 15 minute target.
Joining Mark on Christmas day will be commander James Williams and long-serving crew, Rosie Allen. Rosie has been on over a dozen Xmas day shifts; she joined Chiswick lifeboat in 2002, having helmed the RNLI lifeboat at Atlantic college in Wales.
The RNLI lifeboats on the tidal Thames at Chiswick, Waterloo Bridge and Gravesend have a duty crew of four ready to launch rapidly when tasked. By the end of November Chiswick lifeboat crews had attended 358 incidents since the start of the year; the majority of these nearer to the new location. The new station is expected to become operational later in 2025.
Chiswick RNLI lifeboat station is the second busiest in the UK and Ireland. Since The RNLI search and rescue service on the Thames started in 2002, Chiswick Lifeboat has attended over 4,600 incidents and saved 193 lives. The RNLI is entirely funded by public donations.
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
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