Going beyond the call of duty and reaching out into the community
USUALLY Trearddur Bay RNLI lifeboat crew members’ time is consumed with training exercises or, particularly through the summer, emergency call-outs or as we like to call them ‘shouts’.
Occasionally however we are asked to attend events, open days or fundraisers and sometimes we are asked to spread ashes at sea for a loved one who has been a supporter of the RNLI, in some way, during their lifetime.
It is very rare that we are asked to lay flowers in memory of a child as we were earlier this month ( June). Most of our volunteer crew are fathers or mothers to young children which makes it all the more poignant when asked to do so.
Born on 1 December 2008, Amy Gillat, from Manchester, lost her fight against cancer on the 27 May 2010 after 10 months of surgery and chemotherapy. In a brief email to the lifeboat station her parents wrote: “In the short time before her illness, we had visited Trearddur Bay numerous times. Visiting Trearddur holds a special place in our hearts as we had the gift of fun, love and good times with our angel there. We recently visited Trearddur for Amy’s anniversary. To our surprise, a close friend of ours Mike Harrop, along with Barry Roberts, a Deputy Launching Authority at the station, had arranged for the great guys at the lifeboat station to lay the flowers and photograph in the bay. What a beautiful feeling to know the guys at the RNLI give so much time and effort to save the lives of others. Also they have taken the time to remem- ber our little girl and so many others that are no longer with us. Thank you so much guys, from Clive, Patricia, Karolinka and Jaime Rae.’”
The bonds that exist within a community and its lifeboat station are strong.
The commitment, time and effort put in by RNLI volunteers are a reflection of that community and have an effect that reaches deep into it and beyond.
Occasionally we have cause to reflect upon that relationship and celebrate it.