Clacton and Walton Lifeboats

[Juan Twothree]

As a lifelong supporter of the RNLI, I'm starting to get a bit alarmed that this is not the first evidence of such a style from RNLI management, not really appropriate for any organisation, much less one in which the vast majority of workers are volunteers.

Peter.

But bear in mind that whenever a station is facing a change to its lifeboat provision (see above - very few ever get closed), you only ever get to hear one side of the story.

Some of the arguments that I've seen put forward on social media have been ridiculous. I had one old lady on Facebook telling me that the Atlantic 85 that was replacing the ALB at her local station wasn't safe to go on the open sea, and that the RNLI management were putting the crews' lives at risk.

Where did she get that from? From the crew of course. But on social media everyone's viewpoint carries equal weight, even though she'd never even seen an Atlantic close up, let alone been to sea in one.

The RNLI management are portrayed as people who go round heartlessly removing ALBs and ignoring the locals, but ultimately difficult decisions sometimes have to be made.

For example, I know a station which was originally told it would be getting a Shannon, however finding a suitable location for the new station proved impossible (the existing building was too small, plus the landowners wanted the site back in the next few years).

The search for a suitable location went on for about 8 years in the end, with everyone at the station fully involved in the discussions with RNLI management and the local council and landowners, but in the end it proved fruitless.

The station manager, coxswain and DLAs all resigned in protest, very publicly, but there was absolutely nothing the RNLI could have done differently. They can't just magic up some available land in the right place.

Which is exactly the situation facing Walton.

To anyone saying that the RNLI is being heartless, and ignoring the wishes of long serving local volunteers, I would ask the question:

So where would you put a new station at Walton?

Until that little problem can be solved, then the strength of local feeling counts for nothing.

 

[Aquaboy]

There is another side to this needs considering. Availability of crew. Walton clearly has a strong keen team. I often wonder how the smaller places now with a high number of Holiday homes get on. Aldebough springs to mind.

 

[ianc1200]

Walton clearly has a strong keen team

A lot of them resigned recently including Trevor Halls.

 

[Juan Twothree]

There is another side to this needs considering. Availability of crew. Walton clearly has a strong keen team. I often wonder how the smaller places now with a high number of Holiday homes get on. Aldebough springs to mind.

There is another side to this needs considering. Availability of crew. Walton clearly has a strong keen team. I often wonder how the smaller places now with a high number of Holiday homes get on. Aldebough springs to mind.

It's certainly an issue in some desirable locations.
Although Clacton also has plenty of crew, and a large local population.

 

[Juan Twothree]

A lot of them resigned recently including Trevor Halls.

Ok so there's understandably strong feeling amongst the crew, but where would they suggest that the lifeboat is located?

Titchmarsh Marina, or anywhere else on the backwaters, isn't suitable for reasons previously discussed - it would be much quicker just to send Harwich on every job.

The pier would cost millions to fix, and would only be a temporary solution, plus the RNLI don't own it.

Which leaves a new station for a carriage launched Shannon.
So where on Walton seafront do they suggest such a station is built?

 

[Juan Twothree]

Not a big issue to me either. Clearly emotion has got the better of any rational thought. The case for getting rid of Walton AWLB seems perfectly laudable. The RNLI has a responsibility to use donors money to provide rescue cover pertinent to the boating scene of today, not simply as a sentimental continuance of something that was relevant in days long gone by. It's only recently that people have considered stations to be 'permanent' fixtures. Traditionally, lots of stations came and went in response to changes in maritime trade and lifeboat technologies.

Closing stations is always going to be a difficult time for the communities that surround lifeboats, but the coverage must change. The number of stations along the NE shores of England is a joke. Overloaded colliers no longer stagger along this coast under sail and the recreational boating numbers are also small in comparison to other areas of the country.

Dunedin is right, that in contrast, the west coast of Scotland is seeing a massive increase in boating numbers and the coverage is sparse, even with faster boats. The new station at Oban has helped significantly but the failure to find enough crew for a Shannon AWB at Leverburgh on the Sound of Harris shows how hard it is to establish enough volunteer numbers in sparsely populated areas. I've never understood why the Humber boat is stationed at the end of Spurn Point where its isolation requires a full time professional crew when in bad SW / Westerly gales, its mooring becomes untenable and it has to decamp to Grimbsby harbour. So why not leave it there and raise a volunteer crew in that sizable town and transfer the professionals to Leverburgh where there is genuinely no one else around, but it's in a pretty hazardous area characterised by strong tides, plentiful rocks and frequented by increasing ferry, cruise ship and pleasure boat traffic.

Humber Lifeboat moved permanently to Grimsby last year, after a survey found that the jetty at Spurn was falling apart (hmmm, spot a familiar theme here?)

The families had all moved out from the houses several years ago, and the crew were living there on their own, working 6 days on and 6 days off.

I don't know what the long term plans are, but no doubt someone somewhere is on the case.

 

[Motor_Sailor]

Humber Lifeboat moved permanently to Grimsby last year . . .

That's good news. The whole operation at Spurn Head was looking very run down when I last visited a couple of years ago.

I guess if you joined the RNLI as a professional crew based at Spurn Head, the isolation must have been part of the appeal. I wonder how they would react to being 'posted' the Leverburgh?

 

[ex-Gladys]

THe Lifeboat Station at Sennen Cove blew off in Storm Eunice almost exactly two years ago. The RNLI required the local fund raisers raise the money for the repairs... Amazing!

 

[Juan Twothree]

THe Lifeboat Station at Sennen Cove blew off in Storm Eunice almost exactly two years ago. The RNLI required the local fund raisers raise the money for the repairs... Amazing!

Did it "require" them to do so? Or did it recognise that a high profile event like that is a good fundraising opportunity?

If something breaks or gets damaged, and it affects the operation of the lifeboat service in any way, then it gets fixed.

 

[ex-Gladys]

Did it "require" them to do so? Or did it recognise that a high profile event like that is a good fundraising opportunity?

If something breaks or gets damaged, and it affects the operation of the lifeboat service in any way, then it gets fixed.

As I understand it, "required" is correct.

 

[Juan Twothree]

As I understand it, "required" is correct.

With the greatest of respect, it looks like you understood wrongly.

https://rnli.org/news-and-media/202...-thank-local-community-following-storm-damage

The RNLI launched an appeal to "help fund some of the repair work".

‘We have received so many kind offers of support so have launched an appeal to allow people to donate and fundraise specifically towards the roof repairs. If you’d like to help Sennen Cove RNLI through their storm repairs you can visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/RNLI-Sennen-Cove-Appeal"

There was no "requirement " for the local fundraisers to raise the money.

Emergency repairs were started immediately, and full repairs completed in July, when the shop and viewing gallery reopened.

 

[ex-Gladys]

With the greatest of respect, it looks like you understood wrongly.

https://rnli.org/news-and-media/202...-thank-local-community-following-storm-damage

The RNLI launched an appeal to "help fund some of the repair work".

‘We have received so many kind offers of support so have launched an appeal to allow people to donate and fundraise specifically towards the roof repairs. If you’d like to help Sennen Cove RNLI through their storm repairs you can visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/RNLI-Sennen-Cove-Appeal"

There was no "requirement " for the local fundraisers to raise the money.

Emergency repairs were started immediately, and full repairs completed in July, when the shop and viewing gallery reopened.

I stand corrected, and I will correct my sources

 

[Juan Twothree]

As a lifelong supporter of the RNLI, I'm starting to get a bit alarmed that this is not the first evidence of such a style from RNLI management, not really appropriate for any organisation, much less one in which the vast majority of workers are volunteers

And there's another story about a lifeboat station with problems in today's Daily Wail.

It's been carefully written to imply that the failing is with the RNLI management, whereas in fact it's all down to local resentment at non-welsh people joining the station, hence some of the crew have been speaking only in welsh.

The RNLI have been trying for months to get the situation resolved, but in the end the only solution was to stand everyone down, and then invite them to reapply if they wished to continue volunteering.

 

[penberth3]

And there's another story about a lifeboat station with problems in today's Daily Wail.

It's been carefully written to imply that the failing is with the RNLI management, whereas in fact it's all down to local resentment at non-welsh people joining the station, hence some of the crew have been speaking only in welsh.

The RNLI have been trying for months to get the situation resolved, but in the end the only solution was to stand everyone down, and then invite them to reapply if they wished to continue volunteering.

Whatever the tabloids say, I'm actually pleased to hear RNLI management take robust action when it's required. With say 5000 sea-going crew and the same again shore-side there's bound to be the occasional problem.

 

[Juan Twothree]

The crew at Pwllheli issued this statement on Facebook yesterday. I know this is the East Coast forum, but it didn't seem worth starting a new thread elsewhere.

Pwllheli RNLI Volunteer Crew Statement
(gweler datganiad ar wahân yn Gymraeg)

Following a challenging period for all the team at Pwllheli RNLI, we are pleased to be recommencing training on our D-class lifeboat.

As has been well publicised, we have faced some challenges but
are keen to get back to what we committed to do – saving lives at sea.

The fact two thirds of the crew have returned to the station is a positive reflection of the commitment of our volunteer crew. We are in a good position to rebuild and look forward to working together to do what we are trained to do.

Being away from the station has been difficult for us all in many ways. It’s heartening to be back to such a positive environment where everyone is energised and excited to get back out on the water.

Being an RNLI volunteer is not just about rescues, the training also requires a great deal of commitment. We are now looking forward to intensive shore and sea exercises to ensure we’re back to the peak of our skills. Our goal now is to ensure we can get Pwllheli’s D-class lifeboat back saving lives as soon as possible.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our fundraisers who have supported us during the most challenging times. They continue to do sterling work in our community and are also excited be back out there raising funds to enable us to continue saving lives.

We would also like to thank the local community for their words of support and encouragement during these difficult times. It’s reassuring to know there is so much support for the RNLI within our town. We are determined to rebuild Pwllheli into a station we are all proud of and today signals a new beginning.

 

[penberth3]

The crew at Pwllheli issued this statement on Facebook yesterday. I know this is the East Coast forum, but it didn't seem worth starting a new thread elsewhere.

Pwllheli RNLI Volunteer Crew Statement
(gweler datganiad ar wahân yn Gymraeg)

Following a challenging period for all the team at Pwllheli RNLI, we are pleased to be recommencing training on our D-class lifeboat.

As has been well publicised, we have faced some challenges but
are keen to get back to what we committed to do – saving lives at sea.

The fact two thirds of the crew have returned to the station is a positive reflection of the commitment of our volunteer crew. We are in a good position to rebuild and look forward to working together to do what we are trained to do.....

Well, that's encouraging. The good people of the Daily Wail can relax now.

 

[ianc1200]

Letter in Daily Mail 1st March.

 

[Juan Twothree]

Letter in Daily Mail 1st March.

View attachment 173234

Conveniently doesn't mention that the Pwllheli dispute wasn't between the crew and the RNLI, it was amongst the crew themselves.
And also conveniently doesn't mention why Walton Lifeboat can't stay where it is, and the new Shannon at Clacton.

Still, job done, that's a load more people who have read that who are now even more anti-RNLI, and will never donate.

Plus more abuse shouted at us as we launch or recover the boat, or just generally go about our daily life.

 

[Motor_Sailor]

" . . . Letter in Daily Mail 1st March."

The usual guff about tradition, length of service, family connections, town in uproar, etc, but not one comment about the problems with housing a AWLB on the rotten pier, or where an alternative site might be on the Walton foreshore, or the duplication of services with the Clacton boat, etc.

 

[WFA]

Just to add a bit more local background to the Walton \ Clacton story. From The Naze to the Colne the beaches are shallow and open so irrespective of onshore sites for a lifeboat station launching is the issue, hence previous reliance on pier based launches.
Several decades ago a sea wall was removed from the north east corner of The Naze (the Tamarisk Wall) and the reusable material relocated to provide sea defences for Jaywick aka "West Clacton".
Today, The Naze is erroding at an an accelerating rate while Clacton's RNLI station is located behind a beach at, you guessed it, west Clacton where launching is offered protection by, you guessed it, new beach defence groins.
There are plenty of historic disappointments along this stretch of the coast and no one organisation involved can be blamed, they act "in partnership" and usually end up blaming each other for not being able to deliver joined up thinking. Result - locals feel isolated and helpless.
A common story shared by UK's coastal communities.