June 23rd, 2007: Lifeboat Day raises over £2000.

Hundreds of people turned out in heavy rain to support our annual lifeboat day at North Shields Fish Quay on Saturday June 23rd, and took part in activities that included listen to live music and a bike show organised by Quay Motorcycle Club.
 
Highlight of the event was a dramatic sea rescue display which saw a Air Sea Rescue Sea King helicopter from RAF Boulmer in action with both Tynemouth RNLI lifeboats.

Coxswain of Tynemouth Lifeboat, Michael Nugent, said: “I’d like to say a really big thank you to everyone who took part in making lifeboat day a big success. We rely on the public and they still turned up in large numbers despite the terrible weather. The hard work that goes into organising the event was made really worthwhile. We raised over £2,000 which Tynemouth RNLI station will use locally to save lives at sea”.

Tynemouth RNLI Station Mechanic, Kevin Mole, said: “We really appreciate the support of the club and its members. Brigham & Cowan’s used to repair lifeboats and it’s great that the historic links are kept going.”

October 27th, 2006: Club continues lifeboat support.
 
Members of Dawdon Miners Welfare Club continued a long history of supporting the RNLI when they handed over a cheque for £350 to volunteer lifeboat crewman Ian Wood. The club supported their local lifeboat at Seaham, until the station closed in 1979.
 
RNLI volunteer crewman Ian Wood said: “We really appreciate the support and generosity of the club and its members. It’s good to know that even though their local station closed, the RNLI is still important to them.

Crew members newly qualified as Offshore Yachtmasters

Volunteer crewmembers Ian Black and Ian Wood have returned to Tynemouth as qualified yachtmasters after passing the stringent examinations for the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore qualification at a course held at the RNLI Lifeboat College, Poole. This will enable them to eventually take command of Tynemouth RNLI’s Severn Class lifeboat, Spirit of Northumberland.

Crew member Ian Black, also a qualified inshore lifeboat helmsman, said: “The Yachtmaster Offshore qualification involves a lot of preparation and practice for the five-day course which involves theory and practical tests in all aspects of seamanship including navigation, marine rules and regulations, and boat handling on the RNLI’s training vessel Watchful, but it’s all worthwhile as it means we are better trained to our job.”

High quality training is paramount to the RNLI. The organisation uses a competence based training framework to ensure all volunteer crew are trained to an appropriate and safe standard that reflects individual job roles. The RNLI continually strives to enhance the skills and professionalism of all crew members and, for this reason, some aspects of training include externally accredited courses including The Royal Yachting Association Yachtmaster Offshore examination.

Find out more about the Lifeboat College by clicking here, and more about the Yachtmaster qualification here.

Yachtmaster is a registered trademark of the Royal Yachting Association.

January 21, 2007: South Shields dancers raise £1600 to help save lives.

Tynemouth RNLI Lifeboat and the Great North Air Ambulance have each benefited to the tune of £800 after pupils aged from 3 to 83 from the Viv Needham School of Dance held their annual variety show.

Viv Needham, owner of the dance school, said: “Every December our annual performance, held at Brinkburn Community Centre, raises money for two local charities. This year we chose Tynemouth RNLI lifeboat and the Great North Air Ambulance. Everyone who took part really enjoyed themselves, especially as they knew that they were helping good causes.”

Accepting a cheque for £800, Paul Henderson, Tynemouth RNLI volunteer helmsman said: “We really appreciate the efforts and support of the dancers. The money will be used locally to provide vital equipment which will help save lives at sea.”

Picture: Dance pupils Faye Anderson (left), Lauren Kirton (right) and Viv Needham present a cheque for £800 to Tynemouth Lifeboat 2nd Mechanic Dave Thompson (left) and ILB Lead Helmsman Paul Henderson,

Members of Parkside Club, Seaham, have raised a fantastic £2,500 for Tynemouth RNLI lifeboat, in memory of two fishermen tragically lost at sea.

The club darts teams raised £1,500 and other club members, including the widow and young son of Rob Temple, who was lost with brother Brian Allison when the Jann Denise II sank off the Tyne on November 17, 2004, raised another £1000 by being sponsored to take part in the Seaham Boxing Day dip and having their heads shaved.Tynemouth lifeboat volunteer 2nd Mechanic David Thompson, who took part in the search for the Jann Denise II, said: “This is a fantastic donation which will be used locally to help save lives at sea. We know how devastating the loss of the two men was to their families and the fishing community, which makes this donation all the more appreciated.

20 february 2007: Pubgoers raise over £1,000 for Tynemouth RNLI lifeboat

Customers and staff at the Salutation Inn, Front Street, Tynemouth, dressed up as pirates during a nautical-themed fundraising weekend to help Tynemouth RNLI lifeboat save lives at sea.

Pub staff member Emma Steel, 21, thought of the event as a fun way to celebrate her leaving the pub after two years there, and said:

“I didn’t realise how much it costs to run the lifeboat or that the crew are all unpaid volunteers, so I thought it would be a great way to mark my leaving and raise money for a local good cause.”

“We only meant to get dressed up on Friday but we had such a good time we carried on all weekend and managed to raise £1032. Some of the lifeboat crew are regulars and they took part too”.

Dear Gordon, give us back our VAT!

In 2005, the RNLI paid over £2m of irrecoverable VAT to the Government and the charitable sector as a whole pays between £400m and £500m each year.

This means that when the RNLI buys new equipment, builds, repairs or refurbishes lifeboat stations, the VAT paid is lost to the chancellor and has to be made up from voluntary contributions. To put the problem into perspective, the amount lost each year is about the same needed to buy a new all weather lifeboat.

The Charities’ Tax Reform Group (CTRG) is urging the public to sign an e-petition, asking that charities receive reimbursement for these charges, and the RNLI is backing this campaign, along with many other charities.

A MORI poll commissioned by CTRG in September 2005 revealed that fewer than three in ten adults are aware that charities pay VAT they cannot later recover, with 37 percent believing incorrectly that charities do not pay such taxes.

According to the poll, 77 percent agree that the Government should compensate charities in full for this VAT burden and it is hoped that this e-petition will underline this fact.

If you wish to add your name to the petition you can find it at: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Charities/

25 March 2007: Trainee yacht skippers given first-hand experience of how to be rescued

A dozen trainee yacht skippers were given first-hand experience of how to deal with emergencies that need the assistance of RNLI crews, during a series of exercises held off the coast near Tynemouth on the 72’ sailing yacht Polar Bear, based at Royal Quays Marina, North Shields.

Tynemouth RNLI crewmembers demonstrated how casualties should be transferred between yachts and lifeboats, how to attach tow ropes, and Tynemouth lifeboat station mechanic Kevin Mole went aboard to give a talk on what crews should do when being assisted by lifeboats and answer questions from the trainees.

Kevin Mole said: “These exercises were to prepare the yacht crews so if they get into trouble they will be able to help, which can greatly speed up the recovery of casualties. It’s not a requirement that they learn these procedures but it is very desirable.

Trainee skipper John O’Keefe, 50, North Shields engineering tycoon took part and said: “The exercises were hugely beneficial. Hopefully we’ll never need rescuing but if the worst happens we’ll know what to do to help rescue crews help us”.

June 11, 2007: Robbo breaks his duck.

After waiting more than two years since qualifying as Deputy Second Coxswain, David “Robbo” Robinson has finally skippered the ALB as Coxswain on a shout.

Thanks to Station Coxswain Michael Nugent being on an RNLI course at Poole, Robbo finally achieved his dream. Although not due to take over as covering Coxswain until 18:00, Robbo had managed to acquire a Launching Authority pager, giving him the edge on arriving at the station before George Jasper when Humber Coastguard requested the ALB to launch to a drifting yacht.

Robbo later said: “It was like being a teenager again: I thought it was never going to happen. The DLA’s pager which I’d accidentally picked up meant I had a good five minutes head start on George so it’s finally happened. The thick fog meant that the first time wasn’t really that good as I couldn’t get a good speed up but I can’t wait to do it again as I’ve been told it will get better every time”.

Sunday 24th June 2007: Cullercoats harbour is the venue for one of the largest gatherings of Coastal Rescue Emergency Services ever put together. The units joined a group photograph to demonstrate the unity and team work between the different emergency services and also to show members of the public what resources are at hand should you require rescuing.

Click on the picture to view a larger version in a new window (150kb).

The Units involved in the photograph were:

RNLI - Tynemouth all weather & inshore lifeboats, Cullercoats Atlantic 85 lifeboat.
Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade
HM Coastguard - Blyth Coastguard Rescue Team
North Tyneside Council Lifeguards
North Sea Volunteer Lifeguards
Red Seal Rescue
Northumbria Police Unit and Northumbria Police Patrol Craft
Tyne and Wear Fire & Rescue Service
North East Ambulance Service
A Flight 202sqn RAF Boulmer - Sea King helicopter

Lifeboat crewmen saved teen in nick of time

A TEENAGER was saved from drowning after two passers-by saw him struggling in the Tyne.

The 15-year-old had been fishing from the small beach on the east quayside, North Shields, yesterday lunchtime, when he waded into the water to have a look at one of the small fishing boats moored there.

He became entangled in the mooring ropes and was unable to free himself. The tide was rising and he was starting to suffer the effects of the cold water.

Luckily, two people spotted the lad's predicament and rushed to the nearby Tynemouth Lifeboat Station to raise the alarm.

Crewmen Ian Black and Dave Thompson happened to be at the station doing scheduled maintenance on the inshore lifeboat and rushed in the station boarding boat to help the boy.

He was freed, pulled out of the water, and taken to safety at the lifeboat station, where he seemed no worse for his ordeal.

The lifeboat crewmen ensured he was dry and warmed up and as he was suffering no after-effects, he was allowed to go on his way after being given hot drinks, and some words of advice about sea safety.

Adrian Don, spokesman for Tynemouth RNLI said: "This lad was extremely lucky. Another few minutes and he would certainly have drowned.

"Thanks to the sharp eyes of two members of the public and the fast reaction of our volunteer crewmen, a tragedy was averted."

RNLI chairman visits Tynemouth Lifeboat

March 3rd, 2008: Admiral Sir Jock Slater, Chairman of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, former First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, today visited Tynemouth RNLI lifeboat station to meet volunteer crewmembers and supporters.

Crewmembers and supporters with Sir Jock Slater

Sir Jock is presented with a bottle of Alnwick rum by Station Mechanic Kevin Mole

Tony Hogg, Chairman of the Tynemouth branch of the RNLI, welcomed Sir Jock Slater, who then spoke to the volunteer crewmembers, branch supporters and members of the Tynemouth Lifeboat Ladies Guild, before being given a tour of the lifeboat station.

He described developments within the RNLI, the importance of training for volunteer crewmembers and paid special tribute to the vital fundraising carried out by supporters, especially that of the Ladies Guild before answering questions.

Sir Jock Slater said: “This is the first time I have visited Tynemouth lifeboat station but I have fond memories of the Tyne from my time as the first Captain of aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious which was built at Swan Hunters”

He then continued on to Cullercoats, Blyth and Newbiggin lifeboat stations as part of the three-day tour that will see him visit twelve RNLI lifeboat stations on the North East coast, and officially open the refurbished Grace Darling Museum at Bamburgh.