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Union Hall RNLI celebrates newest volunteer helm Sean Walsh

Lifeboats News Release

Sean Walsh, a volunteer crew member at Union Hall RNLI, has today (Wednesday 10 July) passed out as a helm for the station.

RNLI/Pamela Deasy

A helm is responsible for the inshore lifeboat during launching, at sea and through recovery, as well as the safety of the crew onboard. As part of this, Sean has undertaken intensive training and assessments both at the lifeboat station and at the RNLI's lifeboat college in Poole, Dorset, England.

Following the success of his final assessment, Sean can now be responsible for taking command of the lifeboat and ensuring volunteers remain safe while afloat. Sean says: ‘I really enjoyed the training, it was a really beneficial experience and it gave me new found confidence in my role as a volunteer crew member and now as helm.’ During his training and assessment, Sean has been supported by the rest of the volunteer crew and now fellow helms based in Union Hall.

John Kelleher, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Union Hall RNLI, says: ‘All of us at Union Hall RNLI are delighted that Sean’s hard work and commitment to his training and the RNLI has paid off and he has achieved the status of RNLI helm. Welcome aboard Sean Walsh as Helm at Union Hall’.

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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 146,000 lives.

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