Former coxswain is ‘barred’ from service
A former Scarborough lifeboat coxswain, who was “dismissed” last year, has told of his shock and upset at not being allowed to enter the lifeboat house at the Remembrance Day service this month.
Tom Clark was permanently stood down as coxswain in April 2018 after he held a training exercise without permission, prompting more than 2,000 residents to sign a petition for his reinstatement, and three crew members to resign.
On Remembrance Sunday he attended a church service at Queen Street Methodist Church before walking down to the lifeboat house for the service there. He said he was “physically stopped at the door by a crew member”. The RNLI says access to the boathouse is always restricted to those taking part in the service and former crew are welcome on the quayside. But Mr Clark, who volunteered for the RNLI for 34 years,
said he was welcomed into the boathouse at last November’s service despite not being crew.
“It was unfortunate because my family came down from Scotland and Blackpool, as they do every year,” said Mr Clark. “I had no warning, I was absolutely bowled over.
“If I wasn’t allowed in the boathouse I think the thing to do would have been to drop me a letter. Last year was no problem.”
Mr Clark was awarded an MBE for his work with the RNLI in 2016 and was coxswain for 16 years before his dismissal.
He added: “I thought it was all ‘put to bed’, we were all moving on.
“There was no justification for [not letting me in], I can’t see the reasoning behind it, my mind boggles.
“The door has just been slammed in my face. It was a Remembrance Day service, I think they should sit back and think what [the day] is all about.”
In a statement, a spokesman at the RNLI headquarters in Poole, Dorset, explained that the policy on former crew entering the boathouse had remained consistent.
He said: “Since the boathouse was first used to host Remembrance services the policy has remained the same.
“The RNLI does restrict access to the boathouse to those taking part in the service itself, RNLI staff and volunteers helping to facilitate the service and those requiring special access due to a disability.
“All members of the public, including former crew, were directed to the quayside to watch the service. This was not officially communicated in advance as it is commonly known to be the place where people gather to watch.”
The spokesman did not offer an explanation as to why Mr Clark and his family were allowed to enter the service last year.
Andrew Volans, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Scarborough Lifeboat Station, said: “Scarborough RNLI is proud to host the annual Remembrance Service, which is an opportunity for the whole town to come together and honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
“I’m also immensely proud of our volunteers for the hard work they put in to the day and for their impeccable behaviour when representing the station.”
Mr Clark added: “I walked away from there and I had a lump in my throat, I couldn’t believe it. I was really upset but unfortunately that’s the way of the world.
“I won’t be going next year.”