Island Life Magazine Ltd January/February 2006 | Page 8

FEATURE

The crew of the Yarmouth Lifeboat

Raising a glass
to lifeboat crews
Solent sailors showed their appreciation for the work of local
lifeboat crews by sending in some Christmas spirit … by helicopter.
This was the annual Needles Relief Event, organised by the Royal
Solent and the Royal Lymington Yacht Clubs to thank the local
lifeboat crews and Coastguard helicopter rescue team on both sides
of the water for their dedication to saving life throughout the year.
The tradition of sending in gift bottles of wine sprang from the old
practice of giving Christmas trees and gifts to the lighthouse keepers
– but once the lighthouses went automatic, the goodwill gesture was
transferred to the Solent’s rescue workers.
The lifeboat teams at Yarmouth and Lymington launch about 40
times a year each, whilst the rescue helicopter, based at the
Coastguard HQ in Lee-on-Solent, is the busiest in the country and
goes out on some 200 calls every year.
The yacht clubs – some of whose members have special reason to
thank the rescue teams for their assistance – give their Christmas
gifts of wine each year after staging a fund-raising race from
Lymington to the Island.
Howard Lester, the Coxswain at Yarmouth’s RNLI station, said: “We
appreciate this seasonal thank-you for the work we do – it’s a nice
gesture”.

The rescue helicopter gladly
collects the donations

Yarmouth’s rescue vessel is the £2 million 7-class lifeboat that goes
by the name of benefactors Eric and Susan Hiscock (Wanderer). At
47 tonnes and 17 metres long, the boat can plough through the
water at a rate of up to 25 knots – vital when every minute can
mean the difference between saving and losing a life.

“Jamus” being towed in that mornin