Looe RNLI celebrate a collective 122 years of service

During the last training evening of 2023, our volunteer crew celebrated a collective 122 years of service from Brian and David along with Nick Pope and Dave Haines.

Wednesday, 20 December 2023, was a very busy day for Looe Lifeboat Station. An afternoon training exercise saw 3 of our newest volunteers qualify as substantive crew, and in the evening, 2 of our long standing crew volunteers, Brian Bowdler and David Jackman were presented with their 30 year Long Service medals by Nick Pope.

Former Looe RNLI lifeboat helm, Nick Pope, is one of our Deputy Launch Authorities and he takes up the story, recalling back in 1992 when the RNLI proposed to re establish an inshore lifeboat station in Looe for the summer months. Hearing that the RNLI were looking for volunteer crew, Nick says he volunteered for boat crew in the March of 1992.

East Looe Town Trust had allowed use of the deckchair store on the seafront to house a relief D Class inshore lifeboat which they used for training until the station went operational on 15 June 1992. Shortly afterwards Dave Haines volunteered and was followed by Brain Bowdler and David Jackman along with other crew members who have stood down from the station over the years. As Nick, Dave and Brian reached the upper age limit for lifeboat helms they remained volunteers with the station acting as deputy launch authorities (DLA), with Dave Haines later taking over the role of Lifeboat Operations Manager. David Jackman, who volunteered when he was 17 Is now one of our senior helms.

After the presentation Nick, David, Brian and Dave recalled how the D Class was launched in the early 90’s, for a few years they did not have a quad bike or tractor, so the lifeboat on it’s trailer had to be physically pushed down the beach to the waters edge to launch. Recovering the lifeboat was even more exhausting as it had to be hauled back up the beach, often in soft sand.

With a successful summer season, the RNLI decided to make the station operational all year round. East Looe Town Trust needed to use the deck chair store during the winter, so the D Class was stored in a container by the dinghy park with a portacabin for crew to store and change into their drysuits. In July 1998 a new boathouse and shop opened on Middleton’s corner. The D Class was launched into the river with a davit on the quayside, or pushed along Buller Quay to the slipway. In 2003 the station moved to the purpose built Albatross Boathouse on the seafront when the larger Atlantic 75 was placed on service alongside the D Class inshore lifeboat.

Nick, who is standing down at the end of the year after 31 years of volunteering, received his 30 year long service medal last year alongside Dave Haines. Nick goes on to say “it has been an honour and privilege to serve the RNLI and community of Looe alongside Dave, Brian, David and the rest of the crew.” Nick said whilst it was with mixed emotions he was leaving the station; he was delighted to witness the next generation of volunteer crew qualifying earlier in the afternoon and felt the station was in capable hands for the future.

Looe RNLI’s lifeboat press officer Ian Foster says “Collectively these four individuals have volunteered 122 years of service to the RNLI and our community, we thank them for their commitment and enthusiasm. It is a truly remarkable achievement, and they should be immensely proud of what they have done for Looe and the wider RNLI. Since 1992 Looe’s inshore lifeboats have been launched over 1000 times and our volunteer crews have saved 65 lives. A wonderful life saving legacy”.

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.

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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.