Looe RNLI volunteer receives long service award

Before Looe RNLI’s volunteers left the lifeboat station after participating in the town’s carnival parade, last Saturday, 1 August 2026, Looe RNLI’s Lifeboat Operations Manager Clive Palfrey surprised boathouse visits team volunteer Paul Sedgbeer by presenting him with his 20 year long service award.

Presenting Paul’s medal, Clive explained that “the current Lifeboat Station, known as the Albatross Boathouse, opened in October 2003. Over the next few years, the late John Cuttell assembled a team of boathouse guides to open the station to the public during the summer months. Clive goes on to say “he believes Paul is the first of Looe’s boathouse visit team members to receive a long service award. Clive expressed the station’s gratitude to Paul for his commitment and contributions, commenting his 20 years of service serves is an inspiration to the entire RNLI community”

Paul, who also volunteers for the National Trust, and is an active member of Looe Sailing Club, takes up the story saying “I was first approached by John (Cuttell) to join the newly established visits team but at the time I felt I could not commit enough time to the role due to work commitments, but I said to John I would keep the role in mind. On the day I retired back in 2006, John reminded me of that conversation and within two days I found myself welcoming visitors to the boathouse and have enjoyed working with colleagues in the visits team meeting visitors, showing them the charity’s inshore lifeboats and launch tractors whilst offering appropriate safety advice.

Congratulations, Paul, from all of us at RNLI Looe lifeboat station.

END

Notes to editors

Photos:

· Looe RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Clive Palfrey presenting Paul Sedgbeer with his 20 year long service medal
Photo credits RNLI / Ian Foster

· Looe RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Clive Palfrey congratulating Paul Sedgbeer on his 20 year long service with RNLI Looe Lifeboat Station.
Photo credits RNLI / Ian Foster

Information

· Re-established as an inshore lifeboat station in 1992, Looe RNLI operate two inshore lifeboats
An Atlantic 85 Sheila and Dennis Tongue II and a D Class Ollie Naismith II

· For further information on Looe RNLI Lifeboats please visit our website https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/looe-lifeboat-station

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Ian Foster, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI South West, [email protected]

Kyle Reed, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for South West England, 07786 668847, [email protected] 

Amy Caldwell, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for South West England, 07920 818807, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]

Key facts about the RNLI

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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