RNLI lifeguard shares what it’s like working Christmas Day in 200 Voices podcast

On Christmas Day (Monday 25 January) Crosby RNLI Senior Lifeguard, Siobhan Murphy, will be telling listeners about what it’s like to be working on Christmas day helping keep people safe as they enjoy the coast.

Siobhan, who’s been a RNLI lifeguard for 7 years said:

‘I’ve have done a few Christmas Days before. It’s a busy day, there are lots of members of the public down if the weather is decent enough.

‘It’s a really nice atmosphere, everyone’s in a good mood, everyone’s saying “Merry Christmas”. We also get members of the public who are so kind, they’ll come and give us things like mince pies, a few little gifts like teas and coffees. It’s a really nice day actually.’

Siobhan also goes into detail about the specific preventative safety work her and the fellow lifeguards do on Crosby Beach, the only beach that has a RNLI lifeguarded service 365 days a year.

During the winter months the lifeguards patrol daily between 10am–4pm, many visitors come to see the popular Antony Gormley sculptures, which can be partially or totally submerged depending on the state of tide. And although lifeguards are present at Crosby, it is a non-bathing beach.

Siobhan continued:

‘Afterwards we can go home, spend time with our families, have Christmas dinner and it tends to be done and ready for you by the time you finish… it’s not a bad thing, it’s quite nice.’

‘It’s a very fulfilling role, I like helping the public and keeping people safe. I like being able to be there for them especially at Christmas time. Its (the RNLI) an organisation I am very proud to work for.’

The charity has been saving lives at sea since it was founded in 1824 and, in that time, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 144,000 lives. Funded by voluntary donations, and with lifeboats crewed by specially-trained volunteers, the RNLI is a truly unique rescue organisation with a remarkable 200-year story to tell – many highlights of which are shared through the podcast series.

Available across all podcast platforms and the RNLI’s website, listeners can hear from survivors, supporters, volunteers, lifeguards, celebrity ambassadors, historians and many more from across the UK and Ireland – and beyond.

Launch into a daily podcast like no other and listen back to all previous 200 Voices episodes wherever you get your podcasts or at RNLI.org/200Voices.

To find out more about the RNLI’s bicentenary, visit RNLI.org/200.

Notes to Editor:

• Please note Siobhan is not available for media interviews, however you can clip snippets of the audio of the podcast to play on air.
• The podcast will be available to download from here at 12am on Monday 25 December. Please do not air any part of the episode ahead of its release on Monday 25 December.
• An audio trailer for 200 Voices can be downloaded here and the video trailer here.
• Find out more about the RNLI’s bicentenary at RNLI.org/200.

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.