Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat crew honour long service and training success

Among awards at the event, attended by sixty six crew, their families and friends, was a long service medal for Garry Gibbs, a crew member at Lyme Regis for 30 years. Garry, a landscape gardener, has served in many roles including helm, launching authority, tractor driver and shore crew.

Another award went to Andy Butterfield, an AI specialist, who has retired after 21 years volunteering for the RNLI. He spent 13 years on lifeboats on the River Thames followed by eight years on the crew in Lyme Regis. The RNLI has credited Andy with saving 13 lives during his service.

During presentations at The Harbour Inn, Lyme Regis crew member Elliott Herbert said the station's current lifeboat, Spirit of Loch Fyne, had been the busiest of all the lifeboats stationed in the town with 469 launches so far and 14 lives saved. In 2025 the lifeboat crew have answered 37 calls for help.

Awards for training success were made to crew members Rob Emery (shore crew), Dave Holland (head launcher), Seb Cope (tractor driver), Gareth Roscoe (sea-going crew) and Cris Cadby (navigator).

Cris Cadby was also awarded the 'Crew's Crew ' tankard by fellow volunteers as the person who had made the greatest contribution to the station over the previous 12 months.

The final award was the annual ‘tongue-in-cheek ’award of the bent propeller which went to Seb Cope for the second year running.

Ends.

Photo credit: 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.