Lyme Regis: RNLI lifesavers and volunteers praised (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

Lyme Regis: RNLI lifesavers and volunteers praised

10:12am Thursday 10th December 2009

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SIX lives have been saved and 45 people helped to safety by the Lyme Regis lifeboat and her volunteer crew so far this year.

The details are revealed in a letter from the town’s lifeboat operations manager, Rob Fossett, to volunteers whose fundraising efforts have helped to keep the lifeboat, the Pearl of Dorset and her crew afloat to answer emergency calls.

Writing to the local RNLI Guild and those who staff the lifeboat shop, Mr Fossett said that once again there has been an increase in the number of emergency calls... 45 so far this year.

He points out that a number of calls were to positions a long way from the lifeboat stations – one to a sailing boat 20 miles to the south, two separate incidents to a yacht and a dive boat 16 miles to the south west and another to an angling boat 17 miles to the south west.

Mr Fossett said: “The results are always best viewed not as hours at sea or nautical miles travelled but as the number of lives saved or people assisted.

“Unfortunately, the lifeboat crew were unable to save one man who subsequently drowned.”

In his letter Mr Fossett praised the work of volunteers who staff the RNLI shop – with takings of £95,000 last year – and Guild members constantly raising money for the charity.

He described the Lifeboat Week results this year – some £22,000 – as ‘a fantastic achievement by all concerned’.

Mr Fossett added: “The lifeboats, training and equipment used by the RNLI is the best available and is always being reviewed to ensure the utmost safety of our crews.

The RNLI as a charity needs to continue to raise funds to achieve our purpose of saving lives at sea.

“The work of the RNLI Guild, shop and boat crews is vital to the future of the charity.”

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