Paul Harries
Father Thames can be a dangerous companion. Fortunately, the RNLI is on hand. Fiona Adams meets members of the Teddington crew...
Mention the RNLI and thoughts turn inevitably seaward: to fishermen caught in terrible storms, or beachcombers cut off by the tide.
What many people may not realize, however, is that the reach of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution extends inland to London; where, since 2002 – in response to the Marchioness pleasure boat disaster of 1989 in which 51 lives were lost – there have been four stations along the Thames: Gravesend, in the east, Tower – originally beside the Tower of London, but now at Waterloo and the busiest RNLI station in the land – Chiswick and Teddington, the only UK station manned purely by volunteers.
Around 30 of them – including six women and with the youngest crew members in their late teens – patrol the stretch of river from Richmond Lock, at Twickenham Bridge, up to Molesey Lock, just above Hampton Court Bridge. All must live or work within three minutes of the station.
Between them, they offer lifesaving services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, rescuing kayakers in distress, tipsy swimmers whose bravado has given way to hypothermia, inexperienced sailors and, sadly, many vulnerable and despondent people seeking escape in the waters of the Thames.
Volunteers, regardless of background or experience, undergo rigorous training, learning everything from navigation and engine repair to first aid and survival, mostly at the RNLI College at Poole, down in Dorset. Not everyone goes out on a boat – shore crew are also vital, helping with launch and recovery.
Situated near The Wharf restaurant, off Manor Road, the station has saved countless lives since opening in 2002. Its pioneering initiatives, like training bar staff along the water’s edge in the use of throw bags – a rescue device with a rope inside a bag – have since been rolled out across the waterways of England.
Four of the crew have been involved from the start. Here the quartet and five others discuss their experiences...
Tim James
- Age: 55
- Occupation: Has a water treatment technology company
- Role: Helm
- Years of volunteering: 17
I’ve been sailing since I was a kid, growing up in kayaks and dinghies. I got involved in a treasure salvage operation in the West Indies, crewed boats on transatlantic voyages, raced boats professionally… It’s been ridiculous! I really miss the sea, so if I can’t have that, I have to be on the river.
Back in October 2002, it was freezing and the station was just an open garage. We trained every night and Saturdays, and suddenly this motley bunch was a crew out rescuing people! I run a lot of the training now and get as much from that as I used to do from a ‘shout’. I can’t save everyone, but I can train people who can train others and so on.
Teddington is unusual, in that we only have a station to one side of us. And we have other problems: a weir, fast running water and people jumping off bridges, as they do all along the Thames. But there’s a real family spirit. Any time of the day or night, you could be jumping into a boat with people who have your back – and you need to know that. Best of all is being part of something bigger than yourself. We have people joining aged from 17 to 50+, but everyone is equal here.
Howard Evans
- Age: 53
- Occupation: Head of Property Facilities at the British Museum
- Role: Helm
- Years of volunteering: 17
For me, joining was originally about trying to give something back. It was also an opportunity which you’d never expect in Teddington. At work, you feel that you have skills to contribute, but with the RNLI it works both ways – in fact, you feel like you get more back than you put in.
I don’t go out as much as I used to. In the early days, you would count the number of shouts, remembering all the different kinds of situation. I used to like running to the station, nudging people out of the way – not tripping them up, but jumping over bushes to get there first! You always remember your first shout, the first time you give CPR, the first tragedy, or when you’ve pulled someone out and made a difference to that family’s life.
Once I was trying to get a guy out of the water and he didn’t want to come. There were helicopters overhead and100 or so people on the bridge. Finally, he agreed to come out and I reached down to grab what I thought was his jeans. But he wasn’t wearing any – not even pants! When we brought him in, everyone was cheering, but not at us – at him!
Adam Bolland
- Age: 47
- Occupation: Carpenter, working in film, TV and theatre
- Role: Crew and head mechanic
- Years of volunteering: 8
My little boy and my wife are very proud of me, but it can be tough when the pager goes off at 4 am. Then my wife is not so proud!
I had lived close to the river for most of my life and reached a stage at which I wanted to give something back. I’m the head mechanic at the station, looking after the boats and tractors and keeping an eye on all the equipment, like the dry suits, life-jackets and helmets.
I’ve had so many memorable experiences, from being sent to Oban in Scotland for certified rescue training to crew training down in Poole. We have a little community here: 30 friends with one thing in common, all bonded by the place. It’s fun to do, and there’s the potential to save and change lives.
I’ve never been on the boat when someone has jumped. Most of the time, when they see the orange boat turn up, they get down. Our presence is enough. It’s empowering, but quite mind-blowing. Sometimes I need to sit down and think about it, just to come back down to earth.
Sam Armitage
- Age: 47
- Occupation: Full-time mum to three children
- Role: Crew and casualty care trained
- Years of volunteering: 2.5
My family are really proud, although my partner thinks I’m a bit crazy, but he can see that I’m really passionate about this. My background is full of water: my dad had a 32-foot yacht, an old wooden one, and our family holidays were spent sailing to France or the Channel Islands, with weekends in the Solent. While my friends sunned themselves in Spain, I was bobbing up and down on a boat.
I really wanted to join, but I thought that if it was all guys, they might laugh at me. Then I saw something written by Kay, the only female volunteer at the time, and I thought that if she could do it, so could I.
I don’t mind all the banter – they are a great bunch of guys – but it was a bit intimidating at first. You don’t know how you’ll be received, or whether you are going to make the cut. But I got over all that. Everyone knows their strengths and weaknesses and works together.
I can’t imagine life without this. I used to wonder what I had to offer, but I’m here and I’m doing it. I only wish I’d started younger – you get the bug!
Andrew Bell
- Age: 54
- Occupation: Master Mariner
- Role: Helm
- Years of volunteering: 17
I used to be in the Navy and had come across lifeboats during my time there. I always thought that, if ever I lived near a station, I’d volunteer. But I never expected it to happen here!
The role has changed a lot during the time I’ve been doing it. In fact, it never stops evolving – you could say I’ve had 17 years’ worth of training, as you’re always learning.
I’m in town during the day, so I’m on call a lot at nights and weekends. It’s a wonderful extra dimension to my life: the camaraderie and, of course, the possibility of helping to save a life, which I was fortunate enough to do not long ago when I pulled someone out of the river. I don’t think he would have made it without us.
Our partners and families are the unsung heroes though, bearing with all the getting up in the middle of the night and the time away. Commitment to the RNLI isn’t just from the crew themselves, but from their families too.
Jon Barker
- Age: 55
- Occupation: Hotel designer
- Role: Helm and Visits Officer
- Years of volunteering: 17
My wife Sarah and I started at the same time, but she stopped when we had our first child. I’m not sure why we originally volunteered. I think I thought it would be a bit like Dad’s Army; that we’d turn up and nothing would really happen!
I’ve probably done more than 400 shouts now; I’m usually out every other week. I’m at work in Teddington during the day and cover a lot of nights too. We really feel we’re helping people now – we’re doing a lot more preventative work, trying to stop people getting into trouble on the river. It’s brilliant to volunteer for something and get more out of it than you put in.
We’ve rescued a couple of people from the weir. They were in imminent danger, and you feel then that you are genuinely saving a life. Even if someone doesn’t make it, maybe the family will come and thank you for bringing the person ‘home’. That’s tough, but still a positive thing.
We’re an incredibly strong community – you’re surrounded by mates. The training’s OK, but the pub afterwards on a Tuesday is even better. It’s my favourite night of the week.
Gianna Saccomani
- Age: 55
- Occupation: Interior designer
- Role: Crew
- Years of volunteering: 2.5
About 10 years ago I lived right opposite the lifeboat station. I would see cars pull up, and these men jump out, and I would think: ‘I’d love to do that.’ Stupidly, however, I thought that I couldn’t because I’m a woman. I really beat myself up!
But then a flyer came through the door asking: ‘Do you want to do something amazing for your local community? No experience necessary.’ It was intimidating, going in there without knowing anything. Also, at 53, I hadn’t learnt anything new for a long time, apart from how to renovate a house. It was tough to believe I could do it.
The first time I had the pager on overnight, I couldn’t sleep. When it went off, I got up, dressed and ran out the door. My husband was away and I’d forgotten my keys!
Teamwork and trust are central – you can’t do anything on your own. It can also be a bit macabre, so a sense of humour is vital too. We commit huge hours to this because we all want to go on that boat. I’m just proud, as a woman of my age, to be part of something so amazing.
Callum Goddard
- Age: 18
- Occupation: Full-time A level student studying French, German & history
- Role: Crew
- Years of volunteering: 3
I got involved initially for my Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award. I came down about once a week to help with cleaning or, if we were doing casualty care training, to be the casualty! I really enjoyed it all and asked when I could sign up.
I came back at 17 and have my pager now, so I can be on call. At first, I was worried about getting up and being there on time. I’d put my bike outside and make sure that no one left their shoes in front of the door. Currently, I am shore crew, but I’ll move up to the formal boat crew soon. You have to get a medical and pass some more assessments, but I’ll probably wait until after my exams.
Everyone is very experienced and I enjoy learning from people who are willing to share their knowledge. For me, the best bit is knowing that you’re contributing to saving lives. And it’s not just about the four guys in the boat, but also the people who drive the tractor to launch it, those checking it’s safe to go out and the person taking the call in the first place. You gain a real appreciation for teamwork.
Ray Searles
- Age: 48
- Occupation: London black taxi driver
- Role: Crew and mechanic
- Years of volunteering: 4
I lived on the river and wanted to buy a small boat, but there were lots of things I didn’t know – like, you drive on the right! You don’t need a licence either, and that’s not necessarily safe!
My neighbour was a helm at the station and I joined when they were recruiting. I work from 4 pm to 2 am in town, but when I’m home I’m on call pretty much every day. As a black cabbie, I’m on my own, so it’s nice to come back to another life where I’m part of a team.
My most memorable shout was one Christmas Day: a search of about an hour and a half. We didn’t find anybody, but about 10 people turned up for crew. It was an amazing team experience. While the rest of the world was indoors drinking, we were on the river searching for someone in danger. Once we realized it was safe, we had a bit of a laugh and went back to our families.
But that’s what happens. You can be in the middle of anything and the pager goes off. For the next hour or so you are totally focused on helping. It’s more than a hobby: after my work and my daughter, the RNLI is my passion.
If you need to contact the RNLI for a rescue, call 999 or 112 and ask for the coast guard
