Achievements celebrated at St Davids RNLI crew dinner

An eventful year for the RNLI at St Davids was marked during the station’s annual crew dinner on Saturday (14 November). A courageous rescue, a fundraising success story and a fond farewell to an RNLI volunteer were just some of the highlights of the evening.

Presentations were made to RNLI helmsmen Nicholas Phillips and Simon Thornton and RNLI crew members Simon Twitchen and Gareth Morris, who saved three lives last summer. They received a framed letter of thanks from RNLI Chairman Admiral the Lord Boyce congratulating them on their teamwork and tenacity during a rescue on 5 August 2008. The letters were presented to them by RNLI Divisional Training Inspector Andy Hurley.

Mr Hurley paid tribute to the volunteer crew who performed admirably during the rescue of three young women who were trapped on rocks at Caerfei Bay.

Also praised during the evening were Mr and Mrs Barry, manager and manageress of The Grove Hotel, St Davids, who put on their walking boots to raise funds for the RNLI. The husband and wife team completed a sponsored walk up Snowdon, raising £304 for the St Davids branch of the RNLI charity.

During the dinner, a fond farewell was bid to former St Davids volunteer Huw Thornton who has left the crew due to family and work commitments. Huw joined the RNLI in 1999 as a shorehelper, becoming and RNLI crew member in 2003 and he has also served as a deputy head launcher.

Photograph: Andy Hurley presenting the awards to the RNLI crew at St Davids, who helped save three lives last summer