| It has been a busy but successful day at Anstruther RNLI. Two of our volunteers sat an exam first thing this morning before taking to the water for afloat assessments in a bid to become fully qualified coxswains. What wasn’t scripted was an emergency call mid-morning! After both successfully launched, recovered and completed various scenarios, we are delighted to announce that Kevin Calder and Barry Gourlay sailed through their assessments and will now be available to take charge of our all-weather lifeboat. Very well done to both! click/tap the picture to zoom |  |
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Volunteers at Anstruther Lifeboat Station have received their brand new Helly Hansen lifeboat crew kit to help keep them safe, warm and dry when they’re out saving lives at sea. Pictures by Roger Grundy. Click to view the full pictures The new all-weather lifeboat crew kit being rolled out to all 128 of the RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat stations across the UK and Ireland is supplied by Helly Hansen as part of their strategic partnership with the RNLI.
The new kit is lighter, more comfortable and designed to allow greater freedom of movement than the kit it is replacing and it will ensure the charity’s volunteer crew members have the very best kit to wear when they go out to sea in all weathers. Specially designed with the RNLI to ensure it meets the demanding needs of its volunteer crews, the new kit uses state of the art waterproof and breathable Helly Tech fabric which provides increased comfort compared to the previous non-breathable fabric of the old kit. The light but strong kit is reinforced for exposed areas and its technical layering system ensures crew members will keep warm and dry while out at sea. The kit comes in a wide range of sizes and has bespoke designs to fit both male and female crew members, unlike the kit it is replacing. The new bib, mid-layer and base-layer garments have a specific fit for female crew members, enabling better comfort and freedom of movement. Roy Giles, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Anstruther, says ‘We are delighted with the new kit. Being protected from the elements is as every bit important as the boats and training. We cannot function and carry out our duties if we get too cold and this kit is perfectly designed to overcome this.’ As part of the strategic partnership with the RNLI, Helly Hansen has committed to supporting the RNLI for the next five years through a variety of life-saving activities. These include delivering drowning prevention messages to their customers, generating income, supporting fundraising and safety campaigns, product innovation and supplying the very best kit to the RNLI’s lifesavers.
As much as George and his fellow crew members enjoyed helping Brian safely back to Anstruther, the serious nature of what the RNLI do cannot be forgotten. If you are in difficulty, please contact the Coastguard, just like Brian did and request assistance from the assets we have available. Unlike Brian, you will not lose family bragging rights and have additional chores as payback for our help.
Serving as part of the launch and recover shore team, Gary launched The Doctors from 1986 – 1991 before the arrival of his beloved Kingdom of Fife which serves the shores on the Firth of Forth.
With over 700 launches in Gary’s 32 years’ service, memories of the important role Gary played in getting the lifeboat to the sea safely was remember with fond stories shared. In a fitting tribute to a special man, Anstruther Lifeboat Operations Manager Roy Giles reflected on Gary’s character around the station. ‘His uncanny knack of knowing when we would get our next shout could not be called into question – after all, he said it every day!’ With a fluctuating tidal system in Anstruther harbour, Gary played a key part in passing on his knowledge to new recruits. Gary took charge of the station amenities and had real pride in what did. He spent many hours polishing the propeller to ensure the Kingdom of Fife looked at her gleaming bests to visitors of the station. His pride and dedication to the RNLI never went unnoticed. Gary will be fondly remembered for welcoming crews back ashore with a smile warmer than the teas and coffees he stood waiting with.  The crew, who couldn't get to work, walked to deliver prescriptions to vulnerable patients cut off by snow drifts and in need of supplies from the Chemists over the last couple of days.
A spokesman from the East Neuk Pharmacy said,"We can’t thank the RNLI enough for helping us out with our prescription deliveries this morning, making sure everyone has the medicines for the weekend, you guys are great" Read more comments here  Michael Bruce centre left, Richard Scott dep Cox in centre display the lifejackets Anstruther Lifeboat Station has assisted a local association in becoming the first group of its kind to win funding in the provision of integrated lifejackets for a fishing fleet
Anstruther coxswain Michael Bruce and RNLI Fishing Safety team member John Fulton have worked closely with the Fisherman’s Mutual Association (FMA) in Pittenweem to secure a grant totalling over 60% of the total costs from the European Maritime Fisheries Fund to provide local skippers with this advanced safety equipment. Read the full report here (pdf) |
