Buckie RNLI family celebrate first Christmas on call together
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is launching its annual Christmas fundraising appeal, with a focus on the generations of families who have volunteered their time and commitment 24/7, 365 days a year, to ensure the charity’s lifesaving service has continued for nearly 200 years.
Christmas is a time for family, and for many, a time for sharing stories of times and generations past. However, for local Elaine and her nephew, Aidan, the lifesaving tradition is far more recent.
Elaine Mair, from Buckie, has volunteered for her local RNLI lifeboat station as a volunteer crew member for over 7 years, and has recently been joined on the crew by her nephew, Aidan.
Elaine, an Ambulance Technician, joined the Buckie RNLI Lifeboat crew in May 2016, after years of living by the coast and wanting to give back to the local community.
She says: ‘I’ve always had an affiliation with the coast, and loved giving back and helping people, and this was the perfect opportunity to do that. I’m very proud to volunteer for the RNLI and learn new skills along the way.’
Earlier this year, she was joined by her 18-year-old nephew, Aidan, who also decided to join the crew to help save lives at sea. This will be his first Christmas as an RNLI volunteer.
After a number of familiarisation trips out on the lifeboat with the crew, including his Aunt Elaine, Aidan officially joined in August, following in the footsteps of his Aunt Elaine.
Elaine continued: ‘I’m so proud of Aidan for joining the volunteer crew at Buckie RNLI. It was his own ambition to join the lifeboat crew, and here we are, celebrating our first Christmas with us both on the crew!
‘We haven’t been out on a shout together yet, but I’m looking forward to the day we do. It’s an honour to volunteer alongside him at Buckie RNLI.’
Elaine and Aidan aren’t the only volunteers at Buckie RNLI Lifeboat Station sharing lifesaving stories. Jeff Tuckerman, an RNLI volunteer crew member, is joined at the station by his father, James, a retired GP, who is the volunteer Chairman of the Lifeboat Management Group.
Jeff says: ‘Although we don’t volunteer side by side at the station, we still find ourselves sharing stories and talking about the RNLI over Sunday tea, and I imagine Christmas will be no different!’
Jeff joined the RNLI in Buckie back in February 2019 while in the Merchant Navy. He decided to volunteer to ultimately help save lives at sea, but to also learn new skills.
‘My father joined Buckie RNLI last year and had no previous experience with the lifeboat station. It’s something that the two of us share together, but I hope that our lifesaving work stays with our family for many years to come. I have two younger daughters and they love spending time at the lifeboat station. It would be great if it became a family tradition within Buckie.’
To make a donation to the RNLI’s Christmas Appeal, and enable volunteers like Elaine, Aidan and Jeff to continue their lifesaving work, visit: RNLI.org/WinterAppeal
Notes to editors
Buckie lifeboat station has been operating since 1860. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/buckie-lifeboat-station
RNLI media contacts:
Lorna Cameron, Lifeboat Press Officer, 07792799137, [email protected]
Terry McNeill, Lifeboat Press Officer,07941329798, [email protected]
Natasha Bennett, Regional Communications Manager (Scotland), 07826 900639, [email protected]
Martin Macnamara, Regional Communications Lead (Scotland), 07920 365929, [email protected]
RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789
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.