Shoreham Harbour RNLI Station employs its first coxswain
Shoreham Harbour RNLI has appointed the first employed station coxswain in the 156 year history of the station. Simon Williams, 40, has taken on the full-time role as coxswain and mechanic at the volunteer-led charity.
He joined the team as a voluntary lifeboat crew member in 2006 and became a volunteer mechanic at the start of 2010, before becoming an inshore lifeboat helm in 2011.
Simon then became a full-time mechanic in August, 2019, and began his training to become a coxswain at the same time.
He said: “I am delighted to become the full-time station coxswain-mechanic and working with the dedicated fantastic team of volunteers here at Shoreham.”
He had to pass a rigorous RNLI assessment and training programme to become the coxswain, taking over from Steve Smith.
Simon’s first service as a newly qualified lifeboat coxswain-mechanic saw him aboard the all-weather lifeboat, helping to save the life of a fisherman whose boat overturned and sank.
Simon said: “The fisherman didn’t even have time to make a Mayday call because his boat sank so quickly.
“He was extremely lucky it was seen by the NCI (National Coastwatch Institution), who alerted the coastguard and we found him in the water.
“He had already been there about 20 minutes and didn’t have a life jacket.
“We are just glad we were able to respond and it was a positive outcome.”