Stonehaven RNLI Veteran honoured with 20-year Service Medal
The weekend saw Stonehaven RNLI veteran volunteer, George Craig, honoured with his 20 years’ service medal.
George first joined Stonehaven RNLI back in 1973, when he moved to the town with his family, as a way to integrate into his new community. “It was pretty hard to get to know people, so I thought I’d join the lifeboat crew,” says George.
Things were quite different back in the early 1970s when George started with the Stonehaven volunteer crew. The lifeboat was a 30 horsepower, single engine D-Class inshore boat. The crew were alerted to a callout out via the firing off of rockets and the boat was launched by physically lifting it onto a trolley and pushing it down the slip at Shorehead, at the far end of the Stonehaven harbour.
These days volunteer crews are alerted to a callout via personal pagers. And at Stonehaven the lifeboat ‘Jamie Hunter’ is launched off the beach slipway at the harbour using the tractor and trailer unit.
The RNLI station at Stonehaven was closed in 1984, with rescue services being taken over by a private operation.
When a RNLI lifeboat station was reinstated in 2013, George was one of the first to step up and offer his services again. Over the years George volunteered in a number of roles from shore crew to boat crew, tractor driver to launch authority.
At the weekend the crew, and members of George’s family gathered at the lifeboat station to see George presented with his medal.
“As LOM for Stonehaven RNLI it was a pleasure and an honour to present George with his 20-year service medal. George’s experience and commitment was invaluable to the station when it was re-established in 2013. Over the past 10 years his help and guidance has been very much appreciated by the whole of our volunteer crew.” Andy Martin commented.
Notes to editors
· A RNLI station was re-established in 2013 with the placing on service of a B-Class Atlantic 75. The current Inshore lifeboat is an Atlantic 85 B-Class the ‘Jamie Hunter’
· This year sees the 200th Anniversary of the establishment of the RNLI
RNLI media contacts
For more information please telephone Anna Carlton, Stonehaven RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07530 338562 or [email protected]
Natasha Bennett, Regional Communications Manager on 07826 900639 or [email protected]
Martin Macnamara, Regional Communications Lead on 07920 365929 or [email protected]
Tom McGuire, Regional Communications Manager for Scotland and Ireland on [email protected]
RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.
RNLI online
For more information, please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the RNLI News Centre.
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 over 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and, in a normal year, 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.
RNLI at 200
On 4 March 2024, the RNLI celebrated 200 years of saving lives at sea – thanks to volunteers giving their time to save others, all funded by voluntary public donations. Throughout its 200th anniversary year, the charity is running events and activities to commemorate its history, celebrate the lifesaving service it provides today, and inspire generations of future lifesavers and supporters. For more information visit RNLI.org/200.
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.