Extraordinary people

Gavin Forehead is a builder.

But Gavin is an ordinary person who does extraordinary things.

As a volunteer Helmsman at our St Agnes lifeboat station, Gavin and his crew recently saved the lives of a man and 12 year old girl trapped in a flooded cave.

In the words of a grateful mother, ‘They gave me back my daughter'.

Gavin and his colleagues undertake regular training at the station and have attended mobile training sessions and residential courses in boat handling and rescue techniques.

On 16 October at Chapel Porth, this training proved invaluable as two surfers were swept towards a small cave. Surrounded by 30m high cliffs, there was a large surf and fast flooding tides.

Gavin said ‘My intensive training at The Lifeboat College made all the difference. It sharpened p my boat handling skills and risk assessment – and gave me the confidence and control to hold off until the right moment to go into the cave. No matter how good your equipment is, at the end of the day you need a professional trained crew to do the job'.

We rescue 21 people every day because of crew training.

Please help support ordinary people doing extraordinary things.