1 week Ago
A volunteer crew member has qualified as a coxswain after more than 1,000 hours of training. Alex Beckett, who joined Newhaven RNLI in June 2018, is now certified to command Newhaven's Severn class all-weather lifeboat operations at sea. This comes after more than three years of intensive training at Newhaven and the RNLI's training college in Poole.
Mr Beckett, who is also an ambulance operations manager with South East Coast Ambulance Service, attended 94 incidents along the Sussex coast as part of his training. He said: "It’s an honour to take on the role of coxswain. "The training has been challenging, but enormously rewarding.
"I’ve been fortunate to learn from some of the best at Newhaven and beyond. "I’m grateful to be part of a crew so committed to saving lives at sea." Mr Beckett's final assessments were conducted by Dave Needham, one of the RNLI’s coastal lifeboat trainers.
The pass-out process involved rigorous onshore and offshore testing, covering navigation, search and rescue coordination, command leadership, and emergency procedures. Mr Beckett is also qualified as a navigator, first aider and is also volunteer crew on Newhaven’s D class in-shore lifeboat. Roger Cohen MBE, lifeboat operations manager, said: "Alex has shown exceptional commitment and professionalism throughout his training.
"We are incredibly proud to see him step into this important leadership role." This milestone further strengthens the capability of Newhaven RNLI’s lifesaving service, ensuring the station remains ready to respond when their help is needed, keeping people safe along our coast..
