New Helm at Redcar RNLI

Chris Brogden has been a member of the Redcar volunteer crew for 6 years and earlier this year passed his RNLI Navigation assessment. In a continuation of his training, Chris has since been directing his energies towards qualifying as a Helm on the lifeboat station's D class lifeboat.

Chris said: ‘The training to become a helm is intense and needs many hours of study alongside practical training sessions. The support I received from other volunteer crew members has been tremendous.’

Luke Picknett, Lifeboat Training Coordinator at Redcar RNLI, said: ‘Chris has had to demonstrate his competence in charge of the D class lifeboat to an RNLI assessor. To do this he needed to show his ability to take command and plan the execution of a rescue operation. The assessment also included other important elements such as boat handling and veering. Alongside this Chris also needed to pass a written paper which he took on the same day as his practical assessment.’

Luke went onto say: ‘It can take over 100 hours for a volunteer crew member to train as a helm. This personal dedication and commitment towards saving lives at sea is an essential quality all our volunteers need to have’.

Notes to Editors

Redcar lifeboat station has been operating since 1802.

Redcar currently operates a B class Atlantic 85 lifeboat named Leicester Challenge III, paid for by the people of Leicester, and a D class lifeboat named Eileen May Loach-Thomas, paid from the legacy of the late Mr Nick Thomas of Shropshire

RNLI Media contacts

For more information, please contact Andy Watson, Lifeboat Press Officer, Redcar RNLI on 07954 435834 or 01642 484491 or email [email protected]

Clare Hopps Regional Media Officer 07824 518641

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The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.

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