Meet Mudeford RNLI volunteer Ian Parker ahead of Round the Island Race

Name: Ian Parker

Length of Service: 42 years

Day job: Car body repairer

Crew role: Helm

Why did you join the RNLI?

Growing up in Mudeford we spent a lot of our family holidays on our sailing boat, and I have always enjoyed being out on the water around the beautiful Dorset coast. My uncle was a local fisherman and a member of Mudeford RNLI. Watching him launch with the crew and go out to sea to help people in difficulty inspired me and was something I thought I could do. I was only 17 when I applied to join Mudeford RNLI, so I had to get my Mum to write a letter of approval!

What do you like most about volunteering for the RNLI?

When the pager goes off, you often don’t know what situation you are going out to, but you do know you are responding to someone who needs your help. That feeling of making a difference, whether helping someone or saving their life, is as strong for me today as it was when I joined the crew over 40 years ago.

You also find when you join a station like Mudeford RNLI you become part of an extended family. All of us feel very supported by our friends, colleagues, and family members. It is very rewarding, and I love being a part of the Mudeford RNLI community.

How do you feel about being the Round the Island Race charity partner and how will it impact lifeboat stations?

Here at Mudeford RNLI we feel very proud to be the charity partner for the Round the Island Race. We are also excited to play our part as one of seven RNLI stations supporting the race. We frequently collaborate on joint rescue operations, and we look forward to working together to help keep people safe during this challenging event.

Have you ever taken part in the race or provided safety cover as RNLI crew before?

The race has a long history and I have been involved for many years providing safety cover for the event. With so many competitors, it is an exciting race to participate in and to watch but I know all too well from experience how quickly emergency situations can arise.

What’s your message to competitors on the day?

First I would like to say a big thank you to all the competitors for their support for the RNLI. We hope everyone has a fantastic race and really enjoys the day. The best and safest way to do that is to be as well prepared as possible. Check all your equipment and agree as a team how you will handle an emergency event.

A stricken vessel can sink very quickly, and all crews need to be well prepared in case something goes wrong. On one occasion in a previous race, we were tasked to a damaged yacht. We rapidly reached the casualty vessel but before we could even deploy a pump the vessel had gone under!

I would strongly recommend having a grab-bag to hand already prepared with the necessary safety equipment as you may not have time to gather crucial items before you are in the water.

Organisers The Island Sailing Club and the Race Team chose the RNLI as the official charity because of its involvement in safety planning for the past 93 years.

Dave Atkinson, Race Director said: ‘The Race Team, RNLI and Coastguard have worked closely together since the first Round the Island Race in 1931 to operate a safe race for all the competitors.

‘We are incredibly grateful for the safety cover and assistance that the RNLI station teams provide on race day and so we are especially pleased to announce that all the donations raised will go to the seven stations involved in the race and specifically for the training of their volunteer crews.’

Safety of all the participants is integral to the smooth running of the race. RNLI lifeboats from Cowes, Calshot, Bembridge, Mudeford, Lymington, Portsmouth and Yarmouth have been involved in the running of the event for many years and are strategically positioned around the course. For example, Bembridge RNLI will be positioned with their all-weather Tamar lifeboat on the furthest eastern side of the Isle of Wight and will provide cover for the final leg of the race, whereas Yarmouth RNLI will be positioned with their all-weather Severn class lifeboat at The Needles, the Isle of Wight’s most western point and where the sea conditions can change drastically without warning.

To donate, please visit our Just Giving Page here –

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/rnli-round-the-island-race-2024

Notes to editors:

For more information please contact Regional Communications Manager(Bicentenary) Beth Robson [email protected] or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.  

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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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