Lifesavers

Apr 13 2008 by Pauline Holt, Sunday Sun

AS a region where many live on or near the coastline, we rely heavily on the dedicated volunteers who keep us safe at sea.

Now, one of the North’s lifeboat crews funded by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, RNLI, has been nominated for recognition in our Champions of the North awards 2008.

The Tynemouth Lifeboat — which works out of the River Tyne at North Shields, North Tyneside — last year rescued 92 people who got into difficulty and responded to 68 call-outs.

Only last week, two girls were plucked to safety by the lifeboat crew after becoming trapped on rocks off the South Tyneside coast.

The girls, aged 12 and 13, were left stranded at Camel Island, at the southern end of Marsden Bay. They had been playing on the rocks at 4.30pm as the tide came in.

Volunteer RNLI helmsman Mark Charlton said: “The two girls were trapped on the rocks by about six feet of water. We got them off the rocks and took them to safety.

“The tide was very high and, although the girls were in no immediate danger, it had started raining and they would have faced a four or five-hour wait before the tide retreated.”

But such rescues are all in a day’s work for the lifeboat crew which has been nominated for the Champion Team award, sponsored by the Port of Tyne Authority.

Nominator, David Stenhouse, the lifeboat’s volunteer operations manager, said of the 25 volunteer crew members: “They are a very dedicated and committed group who are prepared to put their lives on the line 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to go and assist people in trouble at sea.

“They are all volunteers and go out whatever the weather, be it a false alarm or real-life rescue.”

Keith Wilson, managing director of the award category’s sponsors Port of Tyne, said: “We are delighted to support the Champions of the North awards for the fifth year in succession.

“Fresh from winning the prestigious Lloyds List Port Operator of the Year Award, the Port of Tyne knows only too well the significance of teamwork.”

“The Champion Team award recognises the incredible courage and dedication to work together in challenging circumstances to benefit the whole community, every one of the nominees so far is a worthy winner.”

V If you know of someone who deserves recognition and fits one of our awards categories, then why not nominate them in our fifth Champions of the North awards? Please see the categories listed and entry form on this page or view online at www.sundaysun.co.uk/champions