‘We have to go out, but we don’t necessarily have to come back’

From polishing the lifeboat station brass as a child, to seeing his own son join the crew, Mike Picknett’s connection to the RNLI is lifelong.

Man and boy – and beyond. That’s the way to describe Mike Picknett’s service with the RNLI. Currently Lifeboat Operations Manager at Redcar Lifeboat Station, Mike was sweeping the lifeboat station floor at the tender age of 9, and his family’s connection with the lifeboat goes back generations.

Mike recalls his work with the flood rescue team - rescuing families from homes which were about to collapse, navigating flooded streets and not knowing what hazards were under the water. He also shares how it feels to watch his son go out on a shout: a combination of wishing he was there himself - and fatherly concern.