Crew

(AWB = All-weather lifeboat .   ILB = Inshore lifeboat.  SLARS – Shannon Launch and Recovery System)

1 Martin Jones MBE

 – Full Time Coxswain
– Full Time Mechanic
– Senior Assessor-trainer

Martin is the full-time coxswain and AWB mechanic and can be found at the Boathouse on most days! He is the only member of the crew who is paid by the RNLI as a Rhyl crew member, though like everyone else he puts in hours of his own time every week. Puts his energy to good use trying to keep everyone else on the straight and narrow.  Martin was awarded the MBE by HRH Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace in March 2017.

Occupation: Full-time RNLI Coxswain and Mechanic.

2 Paul Archer Jones

– Deputy 2nd Coxswain AWB
– Emergency Mechanic
– RNLI full-time Systems engineer

Like many of the crew, Paul has grown up with the RNLI, as his father was on the crew for many years. As well as a well experienced lifeboatman, Paul is a technical whizz – he could talk to you for hours about how the radar works so be warned! He puts this to good use as an RNLI system engineer, travelling around the area repairing and maintaining lifeboats and associated kit. He is presently training to become an assessor-trainer on station.

Occupation: Full-time RNLI Systems engineer.

3 Callum Robinson

– Full-time Mechanic
– ILB Helmsman
– National Flood Response Team
-Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer (DLPO)
Callum’s dad served as crew and coxswain for over 20 years, and Callum grew up on the station. He started helping out cleaning the boats and station when he was about 11, and couldn’t wait for his 17th birthday to be allowed to join the crew. Callum is also Deputy Press Officer on station.
Occupation – Full-time station mechanic

4 Andy Wilde

– Deputy 2nd Coxswain AWB
– ILB Helmsman
– Lifeboat Trainer/Assessor
Andrew joined the crew in 1998 after talking about the lifeboat with a local swimming club family friend Paul Frost. Andrew worked his way through from being a crew member on the All Weather and Inshore Lifeboats, to a Helmsman on the Inshore Lifeboat and Navigator on the All Weather Boat, and in 2011 became a Deputy Coxswain at the Station, standing in for Coxswain Martin Jones when he is unavailable. He is also an assessor-trainer on the station.
Occupation: Marine Safety Consultant to the offshore wind industry

5 Vinny Jones

-Deputy 2nd Coxswain
-Emergency Mechanic AWB
– AWB Navigator
– ILB Helmsman
Vinny first came to the station on an open day in 1995 when he was just 14 years old. He realised then that it was something he wanted to be a part of and started coming down regularly helping to clean, polish and maintain the boats. Vinny became a Deputy Coxswain in May 2019, and is one of the Helms in charge of the Inshore Lifeboat, and a navigator and emergency mechanic on the All Weather Lifeboat. .
Occupation: Police Officer

6 Darrel Graham

– 2nd Mechanic AWB
– AWB Navigator
– ILB Helmsman
– National Flood Response Team

Darrell joined the crew in 1994 after seeing the boat being called out. As one of the helmsman on the stations inshore lifeboat Darrell is in charge of the boat during launching, at sea and when she is being recovered and made ready for the next rescue. The helm is responsible for the safety of the crew on board and for everything that happens during a rescue. Darrell sometimes stands in for Coxswain/Mechanic Martin Jones as an emergency Mechanic on the All Weather Lifeboat. In 2009, Darrell joined the RNLI’s National Flood Rescue Team and soon after(the next day) was part of the team that was deployed to Cockermouth in Cumbria.

Occupation: Sky Engineer

7 Colin Clews

-SLARS and launch vehicle driver
– Head launcher

Colin has been on the crew since the early 1980’s and is one of the ‘characters’ of the station.

Occupation: Out of hours doctor’s car driver and taxi driver

8 Derek Denton

– SLARS and launch vehicle Driver
-Head Launcher
– AWB Crew
-Lifeboat Visits Officer (LVO)
Derek (or Dimmo) as most people know him, joined the crew in 1989 after being a beach lifeguard for many years. Derek was a crew member on the ILB for many years and is currently our main tractor driver on the large SLARS tractor which is used to launch the All Weather Lifeboat. In this role Derek also helps train any new tractor drivers.
Dimmo is still a crew member onboard the All Weather Lifeboat and continues to go out on exercises and services when other tractor drivers are available to launch the boat.
Derek also has the role of Visits Officer at Rhyl, often showing large groups of school children and other groups around the station and boats as well as giving sea safety advice. Every year Derek shows over 1500 people, including school visits around the Station (although not all at the same time). He also goes into the community to give talks on the RNLI.
Occupation: Retired Door Supervisor

9 Mark Budd

– AWB Crew
Mark joined the crew whilst working for the local council leisure services on the promenade, including the beach lifeguards.
Occupation: Assistant harbour Master at Rhyl harbour

10 Reeve Turner

– AWB Crew
– ILB Crew

Definitely a colourful character, usually with a broad grin on his face, and usually busy winding up other crew members! Equipped with a strong pair of hands when needed.

Occupation: Facilities Manager

11  Colin Jones

– AWB Navigator
– ILB Helmsman

Colin is one of the first to get to the Boathouse for a shout, working just across the road, and living not much further away. Spectacularly failed on one of his first exercises as an ILB helmsman by launching into a gulley, which we remind him about from time to time, though of course he insists it was the tractor drivers fault!

Occupation: Company Director and Website Developer

12 Damian Cavanagh

– AWB Crew
– ILB Crew

Damian joined the crew in 2007 after working with one of the stations crew members and becoming interested. Damian is one of the true characters on the station always making the rest of the crew laugh. He is currently a crew member on both the Inshore & All Weather Lifeboats. 

Occupation: Aircraft Fitter at Airbus.

13 The Rhyl crew do not use this number.

14 Kevin Lawrence

– AWB Crew

Kevin was working at a crew members house and got talking about the lifeboat station, after this he came down to the station to have a look around and joined in 2008. He is currently a Crew Member on the All Weather Lifeboat, all crew members have a huge amount of training in various tasks that they carry out on the station, including recovering the 14 ton All Weather Lifeboat back on the beach and onto the carriage. 

Occupation: In the caring profession.

15 Jamie Edwards

– AWB Crew
– ILB Crew

Following in his father’s (Derek Denton) footsteps as a crew-member, Jamie has helped out in the Boathouse before becoming old enough to join the crew. A great crew member to have aboard on a rough service as he’s always prepared and a good ILB boat-handler.

Occupation: Manual worker

16 Chris Stockport

– AWB Navigator
– ILB Helmsman
-Lifeboat Medical Advisor (LMA)

Being the station Medical Advisor, Chris takes a lead in all things health related and makes sure the Rhyl team is at the peak of RNLI First Aid ability.

Occupation: GP and Health Board Medical Director

17 Bob Baines

– SLARS and launch vehicle driver
– Head Launcher
– AWB Crew

Bob has settled in North Wales. Like all good Yorkshire folk, he’s not afraid of hard work and can often be seen with his sleeves rolled up, getting his hands dirty.

Occupation: Public Health Practitioner with the local health board.

18 Tara Elliot

– AWB Navigator
-AWB crew

Tara joined the crew in 2009. Tara is a crew member on the All Weather Lifeboat. Tara like all lifeboat crews, is fully trained in all aspects of the lifeboats operations, from deck work to casualty care, including administering pain relieving gas (Entonox) and using multiple types of stretchers.

Occupation: Post person.

 

19 Dougie Lonsdale

– AWB Crew
– ILB Helmsman

Dougie joined in 2013 on both the All Weather and Inshore Lifeboats. He passed his helm assessment for the ILB in February 2019.

Occupation: Factory worker

20 Kevin Taggart

– AWB Crew
– ILB Crew

Was previously a Rhyl crew member until moving from the area. Now he’s moved back to Rhyl and re-joined the crew. Currently working through his competency based training to refresh his prior knowledge.

Occupation: Meat Inspector

21 Matthew Baines

– AWB Crew 
– ILB Crew 

Mathew is the son of Bob (see above) and started coming down with his father at every opportunity . Mathew has passed his Royal Life Saving Society beach lifeguarding competencies, and is employed as a RNLI  summer lifeguard on Rhyl or Prestatyn beaches when not attending University.

Occupation:  University Student and RNLI Lifeguard.

22 Charlie Williams

– AWB crew
– ILB crew

Charlie joined in January 2018 after spending a few summers as an RNLI guard. He is currently working his way through the many units of the RNLI’s Competency Based Training, this can take up to a year to complete, but has stalled due to Covid-19..

Occupation: Leisure Centre Supervisor at SC2 on Rhyl promenade

23 Mark Waterworth

-SLARS and launch vehicle driver
-Head launcher
– AWB crew
– ILB crew 

Joined December 2018. He is learning all the skill competencies to become a full crew member and is now a SLARS driver and Head launcher.

Occupation: Self-employed

             

24 Jakub Wisnieuwski

-AWB crew
-ILB crew 

Joined December 2018. He is learning all the skill competencies to become a full crew member.

Occupation: College student and Leisure services  lifeguard

 

25 Alex Day

-AWB crew
-ILB crew

Transferred from Conwy crew May 2019. Occupation: Merchant seaman                

 

26 Evan Edwards

– SLARS and launch vehicle driver
-Head Launcher
-AWB crew
-ILB crew

Joined Jan 2018. Evan is currently one of the drivers of our SLARS rig used to launch our new Shannon Class All Weather Lifeboat. In late 2018 he expressed a wish to become boat crew, which has been accepted.

Occupation:  Contracts manager.

27 Paul Roberts

-AWB crew
-ILB crew 

Joined July 2019 Occupation : Maintenance at a private school

28 Malcolm McAdam

-AWB crew
-ILB crew 

Malcolm joined late 2019.  Occupation – Works in the NHS at a local hospital.

29 Sam Hughes

– SLARS Operator

Joined 2019. Occupation – Sam is an agricultural company driver.

30 Paul Elwin

-Shore Crew 

Joined 2019. Occupation – Paul is a construction project  manager for a well-known fast-food organisation

31 Scott Jeffrey

– SLARS Op (Probationer)

joined 2019. Occupation -He is a technician on the offshore windfarms.

32 Lewis Cox

-AWB crew
-ILB crew 

joined 2019. Occupation – Lewis works for British Telecommunications

33 Matthew Griffiths

-AWB crew
-ILB crew 

joined 2019. Occupation – Postman.

34 Jacob Evans

-AWB crew
-ILB crew 

joined 2020. Occupation -Also an RNLI lifeguard on Rhyl and Prestatyn beaches.

35 Tommy Edwards

-AWB crew (Probationer)
-ILB crew (Probationer)

joined 2020. Tommy is the son of Evan Edwards (above) and joined as soon as he reached the age for recruitment. Started coming to the boathouse with his father and as part of his Duke of Edinburgh studies and activities.

H29 Harry Mascall

– Honorary ALB Crew
– Honorary ILB Crew

We are absolutely delighted to have Harry as an honorary member of our crew. Harry accepted our invitation and joined our crew officially on 7th June 2015, after visiting the station on a number of occasions to support us.
Harry is on a mission to visit every RNLI station, raising money for the RNLI on his travels and so the crew are really pleased to be able to help him achieve this, knowing that we are one of his favourite stations (if not the favourite)!
You can follow him on Twitter at @HarryMascall1
and you can donate to his mission at http://www.justgiving.com/harrymascall

Occupation: Champion RNLI Fundraiser and Schoolboy

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Crew Photographs

A new photograph will be available once the Covid-19 pandemic is over, to mark our Mersey-class lifeboat finishing her service at Rhyl. Photo courtesy of Don Jackson-Wyatt, our Deputy Press Officer.

Rhyl crew on the day of arrival of the station Shannon-class ‘Anthony Kenneth Heard’ 16/12/2019.