Plymouth lifeboat volunteer retires from RNLI after 20 years

A Plymouth-based volunteer is stepping down from the RNLI after 20 years.

Richard Gibson joined Plymouth Lifeboat Station in 2004, aged 29, and said it “was one of the best decisions” he ever made.

Mr Gibson who volunteered on 19 out of 21 Christmas days, served as a helm on the inshore lifeboat (ILB), a navigator on the all-weather lifeboat, and as senior ILB helm.

“Life-boating has been a massive part of my life, and not just mine, but my family’s too,” he said.

“I’ve spent time on the crew in my 20s, 30s, 40s, and into my 50s, and it’s hard to put into words what it has meant to me,” he said.

He said he had attended “hundreds of shouts”, adding “one that stands out was the recovery of a family with a baby cut off by the tide in Wembury Bay”.

“Over the years, I’ve made lifelong friends, some of whom I’ve stood beside in the toughest conditions,” he said.

“I’ve had the privilege of being part of a crew that’s more like a family, and I even met my wife through the social side of the station.

“I’ve shared in the joy of successful rescues, and I’ve experienced some of the more difficult sides of the job too.

“It’s been emotional, exciting, humbling and unforgettable.”

Lifeboat operations manager, Nigel Gray, said Mr Gibson had been an “integral” part of the station.

“He can now look forward to a well-deserved retirement to spend time with his family without interruption from the pager,” Mr Gray said.

“I’d like to say a huge thank you from us all at Plymouth RNLI and wish him a long and happy retirement.”

The RNLI said Mr Gibson was invited to a Buckingham Palace Garden Party to mark his 20 years of volunteering.

The Lord Mayor of Plymouth also presented him with coronation and long service medals, honours he said he would always treasure.