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King’s Coronation Medal ceremony for Lyme Regis RNLI curtailed by pager alert

Lifeboats News Release

Volunteers from Lyme Regis RNLI gathered at Lyme Regis Football club yesterday afternoon (13 October) to receive King’s Coronation Medals. Shortly after the medal presentation their pagers sounded calling them back to the lifeboat station for another launch.

Group photo of crew and their medals with Mr John Hodder

RNLI/Nick Marks

Lifeboat legend Mr John Hodder presents King's Coronation medals to Lyme Regis volunteer lifeboat crew

Veteran Lyme Regis RNLI Helm and local lifeboat legend John Hodder was guest of honour at Lyme Regis football club yesterday afternoon at a ceremony held to present 16 of the current crew with King’s Coronation medals. Mr Hodder served as a volunteer on the Lyme Regis crew from 1969 till 1990 during which time he is credited with saving 187 lives and was twice awarded the RNLI’s Bronze Medal for gallantry. He remains Lyme Regis lifeboat station’s most decorated volunteer in its 198-year history.

Prior to presenting the current crew with Coronation Medals Mr Hodder was persuaded to recount the story of one his award-winning rescues, that of 5 people from yacht White Kitten in August 1979 in the same storm which decimated the Fastnet yacht race.

Organiser of yesterday’s event lifeboat Helm Jon Broome said: ‘We are honoured that John Hodder was able to present our Coronation medals today. He is truly a legend in Lyme Regis for his remarkable service over many years. He is someone we all look up to as we continue the RNLI’s work of saving lives at sea.’

Shortly after the medal presentation ceremony had finished the crews’ pagers sounded requiring them to leave friends and families and head to the lifeboat station to launch in search of a fossil hunter reported overdue in the vicinity of Seatown. The volunteer crew launched their Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat Spirit of Loch Fyne at 6:45pm and proceeded eastwards from Lyme Regis to conduct a shoreline search. Shortly after leaving the harbour, they were stood down by HM Coastguard as the fossil hunter had been found safe and well. The crew returned to Lyme Regis at 7:02pm.

This was the 29th service call the volunteers of Lyme Regis RNLI have responded in 2024, the year in which the lifesaving charity celebrates its 200th anniversary.

Details of the remarkable career of John Hodder and other highlights from the lifeboat station’s long history can be found in a book by Press Officer Richard Horobin entitled Lyme Regis Lifeboat Station – The Pearl of Dorset which is on sale in the station gift shop.

Ends

Notes to editors

Phot 1. Caption: Lifeboat legend Mr John Hodder presents King’s Coronation medals to Lyme Regis lifeboat volunteer crew.

Photo credits: RNLI/Nick Marks

RNLI media contacts

For more information, please contact Nick Marks, volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer at Lyme Regis Lifeboat Station on 07568 187582 or [email protected], or Emma Haines, Regional Communications Manager, on 07786 668847 or [email protected], or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789

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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