Broughty Ferry RNLI volunteer receives Pride of Scotland Award
Ben Thomson, a volunteer crew member at Broughty Ferry RNLI, received the ‘Special Recognition’ Award on behalf of the RNLI in Scotland as the charity celebrates its 200th year of saving lives at sea.
On Monday 20 May, 2 volunteers from Broughty Ferry RNLI, Ben Thomson and Janice Spence, attended the Pride of Scotland Awards after the RNLI were nominated for the ‘Special Recognition’ Award.
They were joined by volunteers from Aberdeen RNLI, Arbroath RNLI, Helensburgh RNLI, Largs RNLI, and Tobermory RNLI, who all help saved lives at sea in Scotland.
Crews across Scotland have launched 45,853 times since the charity was founded in 1824, saving 11,838 lives. On 25 November 2012, Ben Thomson was one of the lives saved. Jet skiing with friends, the weather turned and Ben and his friend, Gavin, ended up in the water, their jet skis sinking. Battling freezing temperatures and brutal waves, they eventually contemplated giving up the fight.
Ben said: ‘We’re thinking maybe it’s our time, how do we make it easy? But we just kept thinking about the kids and our wives at home.’
A helicopter flew overhead and missed them, then after five hours in the water, as they waited to die, they saw the lights of rescue boats, and were pulled to safety by the RNLI.
Ben said: ‘The light started heading towards us and the feeling was amazing to know someone had found us. Then the big RNLI boat pulled upside of us.’
Within months, Ben started volunteering at Broughty Ferry RNLI Lifeboat Station, one of the RNLI’s busiest stations in Scotland, alongside the 6 crew members who had spent five hours searching for him that day. Ben has launched on almost 100 rescues and been instrumental in saving 5 lives himself.
Janice Spence, volunteer Engagement Chair and Social Media Offcer at Broughty Ferry RNLI, says: ‘It was an incredible night at the Pride of Scotland awards. We’re so proud to have been part of this incredible event and recognised in the charity’s 200th year.’
Notes to editors
Broughty Ferry lifeboat station has been operating since 1830. To learn more about the lifeboat station, visit: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/broughty-ferry-lifeboat-station
RNLI media contacts
Garry Fraser, Lifeboat Press Officer, [email protected]
Jaye Mackay. RNLI Media Engagement Placement for Scotland, 07929 673286, [email protected]
Natasha Bennett, RNLI Regional Media Officer for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]
Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Media Manager for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]
RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789
RNLI online
For more information, please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the RNLI News Centre.
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 over 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and, in a normal year, 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.
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.