Awards for courage for Hayling Island RNLI volunteers who saved three lives

The awards were made on Hayling Island this morning by RNLI Chief Executive Mark Dowie who paid tribute to the crew for their actions on 28 June 2020. It marks the highest award made to the station in thirty years.

Both Hayling Island Lifeboats were launched in worsening conditions with two metre confused seas and winds of up to Force 7, to help the yacht, which was pitching violently, yawing and rolling uncontrollably. In barely one and a half metres of water the keels of the yacht were crashing against the bottom and the vessel was in danger of capsizing and breaking up.

Mark Dowie, Chief Executive of the RNLI said: ‘It’s an enormous privilege to be here today. I was a station volunteer before I started this job three years ago and these celebrations, where we are celebrating actual real bravery and skill are incredibly special for the history of a lifeboat station and its community’.

For the rescue the RNLI awarded Andrew Ferguson and Daniel Macpherson with the “thanks of the institution inscribed on vellum” for their courage determination, decision making skills and boat handling skills. Lloyd Pepperell was also awarded the “thanks of the institution inscribed on vellum” for his extreme selflessness and courage as well as stamina when boarding and acting independently on the casualty vessel.

For their courage and teamwork during the service, vellum service certificates were awarded to Jack Anson, Eleanor Briggs, Thomas Lincoln and Sharon Swan.

Since the rescue Eleanor Briggs and her partner have emigrated to Vancouver, Canada, and flew back especially for the presentation. Eleanor is now an active volunteer with the Canadian equivalent of the RNLI in Vancouver.

The last time Hayling Island Lifeboat Station was recognised for an award of this magnitude was two silver medals awarded for the rescue of 17 people on board the yacht Donald Searle on 25 October 1992. Since then Hayling Island RNLI Station have launched 2330 times, an average of more than 80 times a year.

Over the whole of Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland there have only been ten vellums awarded over the last 10 years.

More details of the rescue can be found on the RNLI News Centre here: https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2021/august/11/seven-hayling-island-rnli-volunteers-to-receive-awards-for-saving-three-lives

RNLI Media contacts:

Alan Bartlett, volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, Hayling Lifeboat Station (07749) 061220 [email protected]

Paul Dunt, Regional Media Officer (South East), 0207 6207426, 07785 296252 [email protected]

· For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789

RNLI online: For more information on the RNLI please visit http://www.rnli.org/. News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the RNLI News Centre.

Key facts about the RNLI

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is the charity that saves lives at sea. Our volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service in the United Kingdom and Ireland from 237 lifeboat stations, including four along the River Thames and inland lifeboat stations at Loch Ness, Lough Derg, Enniskillen and Lough Ree. Additionally the RNLI has more than 1,000 lifeguards on over 180 beaches around the UK and operates a specialist flood rescue team, which can respond anywhere across the UK and Ireland when inland flooding puts lives at risk.

The RNLI relies on public donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. As a charity it is separate from, but works alongside, government-controlled and funded coastguard services. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824 our lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved at least 140,000 lives. Volunteers make up 95% of the charity, including 4,600 volunteer lifeboat crew members and 3,000 volunteer shore crew. Additionally, tens of thousands of other dedicated volunteers raise funds and awareness, give safety advice, and help in our museums, shops and offices.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 or by email.

The RNLI is a charity registered in England and Wales (209603) and Scotland (SC037736). Charity number 20003326 in the Republic of Ireland.

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 142,700 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.