In a year of marking the RNLI’s 200th anniversary, New Quay Lifeboat Station volunteers have led the way with their time and dedication with former volunteers reaching nearly 200 years of service between them.

In October, New Quay RNLI held an evening of celebration at the Hotel Penwig in New Quay for long-standing former volunteer members who had given their time and expertise to New Quay Lifeboat Station over many years.

Attending the evening was Ben Lake, MP for Ceredigion and Preseli, who presented the former volunteers with their RNLI Vellum Certificate of Service, awarded to those who have given more than 20 years of service. Ben also presented the King Charles III Coronation Medal to New Quay RNLI crew members.

One of the long-standing volunteers that recently retired as Lifeboat Operations Manager was Roger Couch. After 23 years of voluntary service at the station, Roger received his Vellum Certificate of Service.

His volunteering career began in 2001 as Chair of the Fundraising Group, moving onto Lifeboat Administration Officer from 2004, then all-weather lifeboat shore crew and head launcher. Since 2009, Roger had been the Lifeboat Operations Manager responsible for the management of all operational volunteers including the safety and training standards, maintenance of the station and all the equipment.

Roger said: “It has been an eventful 23 years and I want to thank all the volunteers I’ve worked with over the years, without them the charity could not run. The support from the community and further afield has been wonderful too, it’s great to see what people can do when you pull together as a team.”

Other volunteer crew members who received their Vellum Certificate of Service were Roger Davies (Honorary Secretary, Deputy Launch Authority and crew member) for over 50 years of service, Steve Hartley for over 40 years (crew member/Second Coxswain), Joe Taylor (Launch Vehicle Driver), Tim Harrison (Deputy Second Coxswain), Doctor Leo O’Connor (Lifeboat Medical Adviser), and Hefin Davies (Navigator, ILB helm) who have all retired from their volunteering roles. Letters of Thanks for service were also given to crew members George Walton and Wayne Lewis.

Daniel Potter, New Quay RNLI Coxswain said: “We would like to thank all those who have stood down from their volunteering positions in the last few years. Their expertise and experience have supported the station throughout the years, and their time and dedication has been exemplar.

“We would also like to extend a happy retirement to Roger Couch who has been instrumental in the running of the station for the last two decades, which is no mean feat. We wish him the best for the future.”

On the night, volunteer crew members also received their King Charles III Coronation Medal created to mark the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla awarded to members of the Civilian Emergency Services who had completed more than five years’ service.