Event of 30 years ago, Penlee and the Solomon Browne Crew

6 Sleeps to Christmas and on this day 30 years ago a particular event changed the lives of at least 16 families who lost loved ones in a single incident, of the 16 who lost their lives 8 of them were volunteers for the RNLI on board the Solomon Browne, Penlee Lifeboat, out trying to save the lives of others.

Exactly 7 months ago to the day I wrote a blog entry land-locked-tamworth-its-mayor-and-rnli where I retold the story of the disaster and explained why I would be supporting the RNLI as my chosen charity this year.  for a good but brief account of the story I have found a BBC Link of the story at the time  and included a youtube video I have found

There are so many elements to this story of heroism that I find touching and or upsetting. These men were volunteers preparing to celebrate Christmas with their families only 6 days later, the coxswain refusing to let 2 members of the same family go on the rescue due to the severity of the weather, a group of these guys were sitting relaxing the the local British legion when the alarm was raised and off they went never to return.

I'm not sure but I think I understood the heroism of this story straight away even though I was only 5 at the time, I'd had all my family holidays in Cornwall and part of every holiday was seeing a lifeboat somewhere so may be it was just that I knew of these hero's.

Anyone can write about these things and I fall into that anyone category but it takes something special to do what the volunteers of the RNLI do. Please support the RNLI though any of my events or direct through their website and local branches, none of us know when we will need their support. http://www.rnli.org.uk/

Would I go out tonight in an horrific storm to save others? I'd like to think so but I really don't ever want to be asked the question.

Land Locked Tamworth, it's Mayor and the RNLI

This week I Jeremy Oates swore an oath and became Mayor of the Borough of Tamworth. This was for me possibly the most emotional Council Meeting I have attended. Nerves played like never before and to say I feel proud and honoured is simply an understatement. I have lived in Tamworth all my life and coming from a political background the Mayor of Tamworth has always been someone I have looked upto and aspired to. two days later and I am still pinching myself.

As Mayor of Tamworth one of the roles is to choose a charity and raise money for throughout the year, This year I have chosen the RNLI and i thought it might be useful to explain here why I have chosen this particular group.

Within the UK it is difficult to get further away from the sea than we are in Tamworth but as I do there are hundred possible thousands on people from Tamworth who visit the uk coast line every year and for me that means it's only time before the RNLI will be involved in a rescue involving the a resident of Tamworth. Along with this the RNLI is also the charity my gran left money to when she passed away and she was a great supporter of them, I'm pleased to support the same charity as my gran did.

We all talk about the value of volunteering and this should not be diluted, for me the lifeboat men of the uk are a fantastic example of what I have termed "Extreme Volunteering" they go out in awful conditions at their own risk and no income to rescue the lives of other.

I recall a story from my childhood which to me is a story of fantastic heroism and bravery I can only dream of, this is the story of the Penlee lifeboat on the night of the 19th December 1981.

Only 5 nights before christmas a call was recievd by the falmouth coast guard that the union star, a brand new gargo ship, had lost it's engines and could not restart them. That night the weather was horrendous and worsening, a call was put out to the crew of the Penlee lifeboat in the village of Mousehole cornwall, who sped to the rescue in the boat above. These guys displayed a selflessness and command of the seas that has me in tears just to think of. that night events happened quickely and some of those on the union star made it to the life boat, this life boat then stayed on the scene to rescue the rest when tragedy struck and took the lives of all on board the union star and the volunteers on the Penlee lifeboat.

I have missed alot out of this story but remember it from my childhood and remember being in cornwall when th new lifeboat was delivered. I am can not start to comprehend the selflessness of these men and their families. whilst I will not be collecting for any Penlee memorial I feel this story of heroism should be told and this year I will be supporting the RNLI and the volunteers who genuinely put their own lives at risk for other simply because they want to.