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Shoreham Harbour RNLI opens recruitment for boat crew volunteers

Lifeboats News Release

After a busy 2024, Shoreham Harbour RNLI is opening recruitment for new boat crew volunteers. Could this be the New Year’s resolution you’re looking for? Find out more at the recruitment open day being held at the station on 19 January between 10 and 12.

Shoreham Harbour Crew standing on the slipway in front of the all-weather lifeboat

RNLI/Nathan Williams

Shoreham Harbour RNLI crew members

There are currently 20 volunteer boat crew at Shoreham Harbour RNLI, some who have been volunteers for over 40 years and some who have joined within the past year. Volunteers come from a range of backgrounds, with crew members including a police officer, power boat instructor, IT specialist, paramedic, postal delivery worker and quantity surveyor.

Harry Citrine, who joined as volunteer crew in April 2024, says: “Volunteering with Shoreham Harbour RNLI has been both humbling and motivating, and I have already made some lifelong friendships and put myself in positions and had experiences that few people get to be a part of. If you’re thinking of volunteering, absolutely do it!”

You do not need any previous maritime experience to join the crew, as full training is provided at the lifeboat station, online and at the RNLI Support Centre in Poole. The only requirement is that boat crew volunteers live within a 10-minute drive of the station and are aged over 18.

Andrew Shiner, Shoreham Harbour RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, says: “It often surprises people that no experience is necessary to join as volunteer boat crew, but as well as excellent training, new volunteers are helped every step of the way by our friendly, welcoming and supportive team. Volunteering as crew is a great way to build skills, meet new people and, most importantly, save lives at sea. Whatever your background, if you are looking for a new challenge, we would be happy to show you around the station and chat about what volunteering here involves.”

Please do come and find out more at Shoreham Harbour RNLI’s recruitment open day on 19 January. There will be a station tour starting at 10am that will include the opportunity to have a look around our state-of-the-art all-weather lifeboat. This will be followed by an informal presentation of training pathways, and tea/coffee and a chance to chat with the crew. There is no need to book, and if you are unable to join us at 10am then feel free to drop in any time before midday.

For more information on the role and how to apply, please visit: http://volunteering.rnli.org/vacancy/crew-member-albilb---shoreham-576230.html

Notes to editors

Contacts: For more information on this news release, please contact:
Liz Zachary, Lifeboat Press Officer,
[email protected]
or Hatti Mellor, Regional Communications Manager,
[email protected]

Key facts about Shoreham Harbour RNLI: Shoreham Harbour RNLI has been saving lives at sea since 1865. Home to a Tamar class all-weather lifeboat,1 the Enid Collett, and a D class inshore lifeboat,2 the Joan Woodland, the crew respond to, on average, 80 to 90 shouts3 a year, covering an area from Brighton Marina to Worthing Pier. The station is run by around 100 volunteers who include a lifeboat operations manager, launch authorities,4 boat and shore crew, an administrative officer, press officers, fundraisers, shop staff, a visits team, and water safety advisers. No experience is needed to join as a volunteer as comprehensive training is provided.

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. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 142,700 lives.

Key terms explained:

1 More information on the Tamar class all-weather lifeboat can be found here: https://rnli.org/what-we-do/lifeboats-and-stations/our-lifeboat-fleet/tamar-class-lifeboat

2 More information on the D class inshore lifeboat can be found here: https://rnli.org/what-we-do/lifeboats-and-stations/our-lifeboat-fleet/d-class-lifeboat

3 “Shout” is the term used by the RNLI when a lifeboat is launched following a request from HM Coastguard.

4 Launch authorities (LAs) are the volunteers who receive the first contact from HM Coastguard and who will agree to launch a lifeboat. They also help the lifeboat operations manager (LOM) with the day-to-day management of the station.

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.

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