Eastbourne lifeboats coxswain clocks up 30 years service

A presentation would normally have been held to mark the milestone but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Mark received his medal through the post.

The medal is the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s way of recognising the dedication and commitment of long serving staff and volunteers and has the organisation’s founder Sir William Hillary pictured.

A spokesperson at Eastbourne RNLI said, “All who know Mark know that it’s not just his job, it’s his way of life. It has come with sacrifices but he wouldn’t have it any other way. We are all really proud of all Mark has achieved in his life through hard work and determination.”

Mark, who has overseen hundreds of rescues at sea off the Eastbourne coast, also received a medal, along with other crew members, for saving the lives of a couple whose boat Paperchase capsized in Octobver 2002.