Newhaven RNLI celebrates success: committed crew member becomes third D Class helm

The RNLI announced on Friday, July 12, that Andy Bull successfully ‘passed out’ as an Inshore Lifeboat Helm on Wednesday, June 27.

The RNLI said Andy undertook training on station at Newhaven, at RNLI College in Poole, and with Newquay RNLI, Cornwall.

Andy said: “Learning about what impact the weather and sea conditions will have on the D Class was fascinating, while at the same time finding out the capabilities of the boat in such varied conditions.”

He continued: “Passing out as a D Class helm with our new ILB crew at Newhaven has been a team effort from everyone at the station. The training provided by the RNLI College in Poole, along with training sessions with our flank station Eastbourne and our friends at Newquay RNLI, has given me valuable knowledge, helping me progress to a D Class Helm.”

People interested in joining the RNLI’s lifesaving crew can visit www.rnli.org.

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The RNLI said Andy joined them in 2018 and has been a ‘committed crew member’ to Newhaven RNLI ever since, launching to more than 100 rescue shouts. They said he volunteers on their Severn Class all-weather lifeboat as a mechanic and navigator, alongside being a D Class Helm.

Newhaven RNLI is now getting ready for a two-year operational trial of a D class inshore lifeboat for use alongside the Severn class all-weather lifeboat. The RNLI said this D class can be tasked to calls that are more suited to a smaller lifeboat, like responding to casualties who have been cut off by the tide in areas where the water is shallower.

The RNLI calls volunteers its ‘lifeblood’ and said that 97 per cent of its frontline lifesavers are volunteers. The RNLI said it has more than 5,000 volunteer lifeboat crew members at stations around the UK and Ireland.