Portsmouth RNLI celebrates a year of success

The station is celebrating four new Helms, with Kim Dugan, Simon Matthews and Aaron Gent all passing out as helms on the charity’s Atlantic 85 lifeboat and Ant Lewis successfully qualifying as a D-class helm. Their achievements mark the culmination of years of dedication, training and experience gained during emergency call-outs, strengthening Portsmouth RNLI’s lifesaving capability.

Portsmouth station is delighted to celebrate another important achievement, with Tom Vaughan-Carpenter and Josh Owens successfully passing out as navigators on both the Atlantic 85 and D-class lifeboats. This vital role demands strong leadership, teamwork and exceptional local knowledge, and their qualification further boosts the crew’s ability to respond swiftly and effectively to incidents across Portsmouth’s busy and challenging waters.

Portsmouth RNLI’s developing volunteers have also excelled this year. Issy Macdonald and Emily Bibby successfully completed their Tier 1 pass outs, marking an important step towards becoming fully competent lifesaving crewmembers.

Meanwhile, Megan Lundy, Molly McMaster, Tim Phillips, Kala Whittaker and Alistair Rickman achieved their safe for service qualification, joining the operational crew and contributing directly to the charity’s mission to save lives at sea.

In addition, the station now benefits from five newly qualified Tractor drivers and plant operators, and nine new Head launchers, further strengthening the shore team responsible for launching and recovering the lifeboat. Their skills are essential in ensuring the Atlantic 85 and D-class are launched quickly, safely and effectively, whatever the conditions.

Alongside these achievements, the station is also celebrating individual recognition at a national level. Neil Maxwell has been awarded the RNLI Council Award for Excellence in Volunteering, recognising his exceptional commitment and long-standing contribution to the charity.

Neil has played a key role in crew development at Portsmouth RNLI, dedicating countless hours to training, mentoring and supporting volunteers at all stages of their journey. The station would like to thank Neil for the time, effort and dedication he has given to developing the crew, helping to build confidence, competence and a strong team ready to save lives at sea.

Roy Marsh, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Portsmouth RNLI said ‘I’m incredibly proud of every volunteer who has achieved a qualification this year, particularly as these qualifications have been achieved alongside their busy professional lives.

'Their hard work and dedication reflect the very best of what our station stands for.

These successes not only strengthen our lifesaving capability but also demonstrate the crew’s commitment to keeping our community safe.’

Media Contact Abi Hinton Portsmouth Volunteer Press Officer [email protected] or Jess Curtis Regional Communications Manager [email protected] or 07483 488243

Notes to editors

Portsmouth Lifeboat Station has been providing search and rescue for the eastern Solent since 1965. 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.