Founder of Littlehampton Wave Life Saving Club awarded British Empire Medal in the King's Birthday Honours List 2025

David Slade, who is also the Royal Life Saving Society club's chair and lead instructor, was honoured for his services to the community in Littlehampton.

He has been involved with the RLSS since 1957, when he learned life saving skills at school, and has been elected branch president in three counties, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and twice in Sussex. He set up the Littlehampton club six years ago, when pool space became available at the new Littlehampton Wave leisure centre.

David said: "I called in a lot of favours to form a committee and make this happen. We secured two lanes to undertake wet training for an hour and the use of a room for the theory and CPR for an hour.

"Developing the club was all made significantly more difficult due to the onset of the Covid pandemic from 2020 to 2022 but we are making progress now and have established a face in the Littlehampton community with lots of PR recording much activity."

David said he had been volunteering with the RLSS for 66 years, starting with joining Portsmouth Voluntary Life Guards in 1959 at the age of 14.

He joined Horsham LSC after moving to Billingshurst and took over as chair and lead instructor in 1992. After retirement, he moved to Littlehampton in 2009 but continued in his role at the Horsham club until 2022.

David said: "There was no space in the old Littlehampton pool to start a club, so I had to wait until The Wave opened in 2019 to get started locally. Even before opening, all pool time was allocated, but finally, two lanes eventually became available in September 2019 and Littlehampton Wave LSC was formed."

From the first Littlehampton class of 12 and 13-year-olds, David is proud that two are now beach and pool lifeguards and one is a pool lifeguard.

David said: "The club members have regularly taken part in many local activities and fêtes, spreading the word about water safety, supported by their mascot, Norman the Newfy."

In 2022, David was awarded the RLSS Stanley Peck Cup as area organiser of the year and in 2024, the Wave club was awarded the RLSS Clive Holland Cup as the UK club doing most to support its objectives in the local community. He holds six RLSS service or merit medals, including the Medal of Honour and Long Service Medal.