Chiswick RNLI's Last Christmas
Dec 4, 2024
This will be the last Christmas for the crew of the RNLI lifeboat at the Chiswick station following the recent launch of an appeal for Chiswick Lifeboat Station to move to better facilities.
The RNLI acquired a building in Wandsworth Riverside Quarter late last year. Following the grant of planning permission, plans are proceeding to fit out the building for its new use. So, on Christmas day 2025 the crew will be settling into their new home four miles downstream.
Meanwhile, this Christmas, unlike most other RNLI crews, the Chiswick crew will not be returning home for the holidays to be summoned by pager if a rescue is needed. They spend the day on a 12-hour shift to ensure on site cover 24/7.
WHITE CHRISTMAS
Previous Christmas’s have seen one of the crew preparing a festive feast while being ready to switch off the oven and launch rapidly when tasked. However, this year, The White Hart Pub in Barnes, under a mile from the station or one minute by lifeboat, will repeat its generosity of last year and provide the crew with a sumptuous take-out Christmas dinner.
Vastly improved facilities at the new location include a properly equipped galley which will make it much easier to prepare a Christmas meal in future.
Duty commander on Christmas day this year will be Mark Turrell. Mark said "We know we may be needed at any time to save lives and we have the training and equipment to do this. Santa may have nine reindeer pulling his sleigh whereas we have 900 horses pulling ours!"
'TIS THE SEASON
The E-Class RNLI lifeboats are unique to the Thames. Twin 450 hp engines drive the boat at 40 knots allowing crew to reach casualties well within the 15-minute target.
Joining Mark this Christmas day will be commander James Williams and long-serving crew, Rosie Allen. Rosie has been on over a dozen Xmas day shifts; she joined Chiswick lifeboat in 2002, having helmed the RNLI lifeboat at Atlantic college in Wales.
Chiswick RNLI lifeboat station is the second busiest in the UK and Ireland. Since The RNLI search and rescue service on the Thames started in 2002, Chiswick Lifeboat has attended over 4,600 incidents and saved 193 lives. The RNLI is entirely funded by public donations.
