
Portpatrick RNLI volunteer recognised for thirty years’ service
Alick Rintoul has received his 30 year- long service medal in recognition of his time as a volunteer for the RNLI and his commitment to saving lives at sea.
Alick, originally from Portpatrick, joined the volunteer crew at Stranraer back in 1994 having moved to the town after getting married, eventually becoming helm of the D class inshore lifeboat.
As his work remained in Portpatrick, Alick also joined the crew at the village lifeboat station, carrying two pagers. Portpatrick on his port (left)side and Stranraer on the starboard (right), to help identify which one was going off! Having moved back to the village in 2014 it was finally time to relinquish the Stranraer pager and focus on Portpatrick, where Alick worked his way through the ranks and was deputy coxswain on Tamar class lifeboat John Buchanan Barr for almost 10 years. Today, Alick remains an integral part of the crew on Shannon Class Lifeboat Stella and Humfrey Berkeley.
Alick said, ‘Growing up by the sea and enjoying water sports, I was drawn to the lifeboat and felt it was my duty to get involved. I would encourage anyone considering volunteering for the RNLI to contact us. There are many roles, not just seagoing, but shore based, fundraising or in our RNLI gift shop. You get to be part of a great team and it is extremely rewarding.’
Presenting the medal to Alick, Ian Beck, Chairman of Portpatrick RNLI said, ‘Its volunteers like Alick that are the lifeblood of the RNLI. We could not do what we do without the vital support of our incredible volunteers. There are a broad range of roles at the RNLI and we are always looking for new volunteers to join our charity and help us to continue saving lives at sea.’
To find out more and get involved visit RNLI.org/volunteer
To make a donation to the RNLI visit RNLI.org/support-us/give-money/donate
Notes to Editors
· Portpatrick Lifeboat Station has been operating since 1877. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to Portpatrick RNLI Lifeboat Station
· Volunteer Alick Rintoul is available for interview.
· Click here to access the RNLI 200th anniversary media pack, which contains a selection of RNLI archive images from key points in the charity’s history, an RNLI history timeline, and a film of ‘200 years in 200 seconds’ – all of which can be downloaded.
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.