RNLI: Your chance to become a volunteer as Littlehampton lifeboat station launches appeal

The lifeboat station, which is in the heart of Littlehampton Harbour and is manned entirely by volunteers, ‘needs shore crew to join its friendly team’.

Shore crew ‘have a crucial role’, helping with the launch and recovery of the station’s lifeboats on service and exercise. They also contribute to the ‘overall upkeep of the lifeboat station, lifeboats and equipment’. Click here to find out more and apply.

Chris King has been shore crew and a launch vehicle driver at Littlehampton RNLI since spring 2022.

He said: "I decided to join Littlehampton RNLI as shore crew because I wanted to use my skills and experience to volunteer for a wonderful local cause. I have been given so much training in the role and I’ve learnt new skills.

"It is a great feeling to be working alongside a fantastic bunch of people to save lives at sea. It can be difficult when the pager goes off at 2am, or when I’m navigating the mud of the River Arun at low tide, but that’s what makes being shore crew so rewarding.”

These are the requirements of Littlehampton RNLI volunteers: launch, recover and clean the station’s two lifeboats – Renee Sherman and Ray of Hope; prepare and maintain the station’s equipment; drive the station’s two tractors – a New Holland TL80 and a New Holland Boomer and keep the lifeboat station in good order.

All shore crew are given a pager and full training and support will be given for this volunteer role, the RNLI said.

A spokesperson added: “Those interested in the role will therefore need to be local to Littlehampton and be able to get to the lifeboat station quickly if the lifeboat station is called into action.”