Newbiggin Lifeboat Newsletter - Lifesaving since 1851

edited by Richard Martin                                                                    Newsletter Archives

Tuesday 7th September 2010

Surfer in Perilous Tidal Swell

Lifeboat volunteers responded to a call in Newbiggin Bay today after reports of a surfer in danger.
 
Newbiggin by the Sea has been battered by stormy sea conditions since the weekend with gale force winds causing increasing ground swell at a time when some of the highest tides of the year add to the ferocity of the tidal currents.
 
Humber Coastguard alerted the Newbiggin RNLI Lifeboat Team at about 14.40hours today after reports of a surfer in breaking seas off from the lifeboat slipway. The crew duly responded to the alert but upon arriving at the station found that the surfer had managed to reach the shore unharmed. With no further danger and an offer of safety advice the launch was therefore cancelled.

Sunday 15th August 2010
 
Sunday Afternoon Drifter

(and lifeboat volunteer!!)
 
A mid-afternoon call in today for Newbiggin RNLI Lifeboat Station after a 16 foot local angling boat experienced engine failure. The open boat with two persons on board was drifting a mile east of Newbiggin Church Point in a fresh northerly wind and moderate sea conditions. The casualty crew had contacted Humber Coastguard to ask for help after the engine had let them down.
With the pagers activated several volunteers quickly arrived on the station ready to take the lifeboat out for a rescue however the Coastguard called to advise that the casualty was now underway but could we make sure they get back safely and keep them under observation.
Realising who the casualty was the volunteers duly stood by and were on the beach to greet the returning angler - one of their fellow RNLI volunteers!!

Lifeboat Day Success

1st August 2010
 
Newbiggin RNLI Lifeboat Station is set to raise over £3000 following Sunday's annual Lifeboat Day.
 
Newbiggin's Ladies Lifeboat Guild along with the Lifeboat Crew have once again worked wonders to deliver a fantastic fundraising event for the lifeboat station and the community. Despite spells of heavy showers the loyal supporters of the event stood firm to see the afternoon to a conclusion. Fundraising was achieved thanks to an array of stalls including souvenirs, raffles, fresh produce, cakes, fancy goods, art, side shows and exhibitions. Entertainment was provided throughout the afternoon by rock and roll legend Frank Bertorelli who brought his own dynamic performance to his seaside village. He was later supported by Trial and Error. Out at sea Newbiggin and Blyth RNLI Lifeboats carried out a number of training exercises and procedures. Late afternoon saw the arrival of an RAF Sea King helicopter from RAF Boulmer which provided an exciting air sea rescue demonstration.
 
Richard Martin, spokesman for Newbiggin RNLI said 'on behalf of Newbiggin RNLI Lifeboat Station can I send out a big thank you to everybody for making this event such a great success. This is an established event in the community calender with many months of work by all of the volunteer team to make it happen. Many thanks also to the hundreds who came along and remained despite the weather to support us, it was greatly appreciated. The raffle was drawn and the list of prizes will be on display throughout Newbiggin'.
 
With the event over for another year the organisers are already planning next summer's lifeboat day here which will be late July 2011.

Wednesday 14th July 2010

A day of unseasonable weather has contributed to two lifeboat callouts at Newbiggin and Blyth today.
 
Mayday Alert
 
During this morning's driving rain, rough sea conditions and poor visibility Humber Coastguard received a mayday alert on the maritime distress frequency channel 16. The alert was recorded on their radio signal detection apparatus on a line north of Cullercoats. Lifeboats from Newbiggin, Blyth and Tynemouth were immediately requested to launch and carry out a search. At Newbiggin the Atlantic 75 class lifeboat 'CSMA 75th Anniversary' was immediately launched with four crew on board to head north of the village to begin a search pattern. The other lifeboats began their prescribed search patterns whilst in the sky an RAF Sea King helicopter from Boulmer began its inshore search pattern. After an hour the search was scaled down as no further reports had come in and nothing had been found at sea. Meanwhile the helicopter had received an instrument warning so they immediately landed on the beach at the north end of Newbiggin Bay until the matter was resolved. Once the helicopter was safely on its way back to base Newbiggin lifeboat returned to station.

Saturday 10th July 2010
 
Lifeboat Volunteers assist drifting fishing coble
 
A Blyth based fishing coble working east south east of Church Point Newbiggin suffered engine failure today and requested lifeboat assistance. The 30foot coble 'Audrey Arthur' with four persons on board was broken down and drifting off Newbiggin and needed a tow back to its home port of Blyth.
Humber Coastguard contacted Newbiggin RNLI lifeboat station late morning on Saturday and minutes later Newbiggin's Atlantic 75 class lifeboat 'CSMA 75th Anniversary' was launched on service with three crew on board. The lifeboat was soon alongside the casualty and after rigging a tow the passage south was begun. On route Newbiggin rendezvoused with the independent Blyth Rescue who took over the tow back to Blyth.
With the tow handed over Newbiggin lifeboat returned to station.

Newbiggin Lifeboat Station is currently looking for more volunteers and if you are interested then please call down to the Lifeboat Station any Sunday morning to find out more.

RNLI Honour for Stan Green after 40 years' work

by David Black, The Journal

A RETIRED council officer who has devoted the last 40 years to supporting the vital work of his local lifeboat station has been given one of the RNLI’s top honours. A deep sense of community service led to Stan Green joining the lifeboat station in his home town of Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Northumberland, in the late 1960s – and he is still going strong today. He served for almost 30 years in the key post of honorary secretary, later renamed lifeboat operations manager, before standing down in 2006.

Stan, 74, is now branch chairman and visits officer, a role which involves him taking groups of children and adults around the lifeboat house, and telling them about the proud history of the station and the role of the RNLI.

He is one of scores of hard-working and dedicated lifeboat volunteers across the north of England who were given awards at a special ceremony at York racecourse to mark their commitment and long-service to the charity.

He was presented with a bar to add to the coveted gold badge he received 10 years ago – the second highest honour which the RNLI can bestow.

Yesterday Stan – former chief environmental health officer for Wansbeck Council who lives with his wife Naomi in Newbiggin – said: “I have always been interested in what happens in Newbiggin and got involved with the lifeboat station because it is part of the lifeblood of the community.

“I have always been a great believer in community service. To get any award makes you feel like it has all been worthwhile, but you don’t do this sort of work for awards, it is to help your local community. The award is nice and as long as the station wants me I will carry on and do my bit.”

Sarah Nimmo Scott, the RNLI’s deputy divisional inspector for the North, said: “Stan is a diplomatic and fair leader who brought skills from his working life to the role of hon secretary. As chairman, he still maintains a keen interest in the station’s activities and progress and is keen to involve everyone.”

Adrift in 'A Wing and a Prayer'

Volunteers from Newbiggin RNLI Lifeboat station received a call tonight from an aptly named vessel 'Wing and a Prayer' which had broken down three miles east of Lynemouth and was drifting.
 
The call came in at about 19.42 hours (24.06) from Humber Coastguard who had received a mobile phone call from the casualty vessel for help. Their engine had failed and the three persons on board realised they were drifting further out to sea. Minutes later Newbiggin's Atlantic 75 class lifeboat 'CSMA 75th Anniversary' was underway with three crew on board and located the vessel within 15 minutes. Once alongside a tow was connected and a slow journey south was begun. By 20.50 hours both vessels were back in the safety of Newbiggin Bay and the incident was closed.

The good weather has once again provided the conditions when a relaxed approach to a day at the seaside causes the dangers to be overlooked:
 
Visitors stranded by the rising tide
 
A mother and child out for a stroll on the Cresswell Scarr rocks didn't notice the rising tide today and the imminent danger to both. The hot and sunny weather played its part in disguising the dangers of these rocks which are covered by every high water with no safe exit route.
 
Humber Coastguard received the call about 0915 hours today, three hours before high water, when the pair noticed their escape route was underwater. Newbiggin RNLI Lifeboat was immediately requested and within minutes the volunteer crew launched the station Atlantic 75 class lifeboat 'CSMA 75th Anniversary' proceeding north at full speed to arrive minutes later. An RAF Sea King helicopter was also requested as well as the local coastguard. Once on scene the mother and child were brought into the lifeboat and landed safely on the shore into the care of the coastguard.
 
Newbiggin's prompt action had brought these visitors out of danger and they will have time to reflect on this type of seaside danger.

Rotary Boost for Newbiggin

 
Volunteers from Newbiggin RNLI Lifeboat Station have received a further boost to their funds this year with a generous donation from a local Rotary Club during their recent visit to the boathouse.
 
The Rotary Club of Newcastle Gosforth agreed to nominate the RNLI station at Newbiggin as one of its charities during this Rotary year (July 2009 to June 2010). Money has been raised at a number of events during the year, including public “tin rattle” collections at Asda and Tesco supermarkets. An initial donation of £1,000 has been made so far, with further money being collected during the remaining part of the Rotary year. The Club members had an enjoyable evening at Newbiggin and were able to see the rescue kit first hand as well as ask questions. During the visit a cheque for a further £500 was presented to Richard Martin by the Rotary President Andrew Lowe.
 
Andrew Lowe, President of the Rotary Club of Newcastle Gosforth said: ‘All the Club members have helped to support the RNLI this year, and appreciate the public’s generosity when we have been collecting money on behalf the RNLI. We have had an enjoyable evening at Newbiggin and gained an insight into the work of the volunteers there.’
 
Richard Martin from Newbiggin Lifeboat Station said ‘ the efforts to raise this money for Newbiggin Lifeboat is really appreciated. A lot of this fundraising has been done during the particularly cold winter when standing around collecting is quite uncomfortable. We have enjoyed hosting the group tonight and hope this will be the start of a long term interest.’
 

Round Britain Fundraiser visits Newbiggin 8/5/2010

6th April - Person On The Rocks Sparks Rescue

Newbiggin RNLI Lifeboat Station were called out tonight following reports of a person possibly cut off by the rising tide on rocks at the south end of Newbiggin Bay.
The call came in from Humber Coastguard about 1810 hours tonight after reports of a person on the Spital Carr rocks which are at the south side of Newbiggin Bay. A Police helicopter was already on scene and had the male under observation.
Newbiggin's Atlantic 75 class lifeboat 'CSMA 75th Anniversary' was quickly launched with three crew on board and arrived on scene in minutes standing by whilst a shore team from the coastguard gave assistance.
With the tide rising rapidly the man was brought off the rocks and transferred by ambulance to hospital. With all persons safely clear of the rocks the lifeboat returned to station.
 
Newbiggin RNLI had had a busy first quarter for 2010 and as part of our ongoing recruitment of volunteers we are always welcoming to new prospective volunteers who may be interested in joining our station. The lifeboat station is always open on a Sunday morning and there are always volunteers on station to chat with to find out more. 

26th March - Hirst Progressive Supports Newbiggin RNLI Lifeboat
 
The Hirst Progressive Club in Ashington recently made another generous donation of £760 to Newbiggin Lifeboat Station as part of an ongoing fundraising partnership supporting their local lifesaving volunteers. Indeed the Hirst Progressive supporters have made regular donations over the last eleven years and are on course to exceed a record £11,000.

The members of the Club rallied together to support one of their group who suffered a personal family tragedy involving a drowning in Cambois Bay over ten years ago. The incident led to a major search and rescue operation that was carried out with many rescue units including Newbiggin Lifeboat taking part. The dedication and effort of all the volunteers involved in the incident created a focus for the Club members who wanted to send out a signal of support for all those who had helped. Since then every year Newbiggin Lifeboat has received a generous donation from the Club supporters as a result of money raised from collecting boxes, dart competitions and other events.

Representatives from Newbiggin Lifeboat Station were invited up to the Hirst Progressive Club on Sunday to receive the cheque from Colin Murray, Vice Chair and Billy Gratex, Club Member. Newbiggin RNLI’s representatives Les Fayers, Richard Martin and Paul Eatock were handed the cheque and passed on their sincere thanks for such a valuable and sustained effort to support their local RNLI Lifeboat Station.

5th March 2010 Call out to Three Sisters Coble
 
Humber Coastguard were alerted by the crew of the Newbiggin fishing coble 'Three Sisters' that they had suffered engine failure about two mile east of the station and required assistance. The call came in shortly after noon and the lifeboat crew were soon on station ready to launch. Newbiggin's Atlantic 75 class lifeboat 'CSMA 75th Anniversary' was underway in a short time afterwards and headed east to rendezvous with the casualty. Once alongside it was clear a tow was needed and with the tow rope secure the slow journey back to Newbiggin began. After steady progress both vessels entered the bay then the lifeboat was recovered and taken back to the boathouse.
 

 

1st March 2010 - Search for missing angler.

Volunteers from Newbiggin RNLI Lifeboat Station were called from their beds in the early hours of today following a report of a missing sea angler south of the station.
The call was received from Humber Coastguard who had been alerted that there had been a report of an angler missing which resulted in a major search getting underway. Newbiggin's Atlantic 75 class lifeboat 'CSMA 75th Anniversary' was launched and underway with three volunteer crew on board at about 01:10 hours. When they arrived on scene a thorough search began using several search units including RNLI lifeboats from Newbiggin, Blyth and later Cullercoats, Blyth's Independent lifeboat 'Blyth Rescue', coastguards from Blyth, Newbiggin and later Tynemouth as well as an RAF Sea King helicopter from RAF Boulmer.
After almost two hours of searching in sub-zero conditions the missing person was located and airlifted by the helicopter to hospital.

 

Anglers Trapped on breakwater during rapidly rising tide
 
Volunteers had to make a quick launch to the nearby breakwater when a pair of sea anglers failed to notice the rapidly rising tide and became stranded.
 
The drama began late afternoon today (01.02.10) when two of our volunteers who were on station noticed the pair fishing off the breakwater oblivious to the rising tide. The pair made their way to the landward end of the breakwater before high water as the waves began to crash over the sea defence structure. Using their fishing rods to attempt to ascertain the depth of water it quickly became apparent to them that they were trapped and their safety may be compromised.
 
Thankfully ashore their plight was noticed and the rescue operation was at once put into operation. Minutes later Newbiggin's Atlantic 75 class lifeboat 'CSMA 75th Anniversary' was underway with three volunteer crew on board. They arrived at the breakwater within a minute and plucked the pair into the lifeboat for a short safe transfer back to the beach.

Volunteers from Newbiggin RNLI  Lifeboat Station were woken from their beds at 0212 hours today (01.02.10) following reports of a person on the nearby cliffs in a distressed state.

Police and Coastguard were on scene with the lifeboat asked to standby should its services be required. The crew and shore team quickly kitted up with the lifeboat brought out of the boathouse and onto the beach. The weather was bitterly cold and there was a thick covering of snow everywhere which accentuated the cold.

After about an hour the incident was closed and all the gear was returned to the boathouse with the volunteers back home before 04.00 hours.

 

SOS Day - 'Sizzle our Sausages' success 29/01/2010

Volunteers at Newbiggin RNLI Lifeboat Station celebrated a fantastic SOS evening of fundraising tonight with over £400 raised during the 'Sizzling of the Sausages'.

The bitterly cold conditions did nothing to deter the crowds who turned out to support the winter's night event in our boathouse. The boathouse was decked out with stalls and dining tables for the event which were manned by the Newbiggin volunteers. Crewmember Gary Oliver took the lead organising the hot barbeque food, a particular favourite for all those wanting to get out of the cold. The Newbiggin Ladies Lifeboat Guild also provided an array of other stalls with hot drinks, raffles, tombola, gifts and souvenirs. Firemen from the local Fire Station also were on hand at the event to promote their free smoke alarm initiative in the community.

Lifeboat crewmember Gary Oliver who came up with the fundraising sizzle said' we have had a great night here despite the bitter cold. Everyone has enjoyed themselves and once again the dedicated Newbiggin fundraisers have done their best to support the RNLI SOS day raising over £400 in the process. Can I also add a big thank you to the many local shops and businesses who donated so generously the many items on the stalls'

SOS Day Friday 29th January 2010

Volunteers at Newbiggin Lifeboat Station are cooking up some hot barbecue delights as we celebrate and raise funds for SOS Day on Friday.
 
Newbiggin's approach to the event is aptly named 'Sizzle our Sausages' and a winter barbecue at the boathouse is hoped to entice our supporters to come on down and back this SOS event. Also in the boathouse the Ladies Guild will be organising hot drinks as well as locally baked cakes, tombola and souvenirs so come on down and give us your support.
 
Anyone can join in on RNLI SOS Day, when the lifeboat charity hopes to raise more than £500,000. There are already lots of events planned in the region, many of them taking their inspiration from the SOS acronym but anything goes as long as the people taking part have fun and raise some money for the RNLI.
 
Lifeboat crewmembers from Newbiggin RNLI Lifeboat have set about the task to organise this event and said 'we have had a great deal of support from our community and other lifeboat stations in our region so it promises to be a good night - after all it is not every night that you go to a barbecue in the winter and at the same time you are helping our lifesaving volunteers'.
 
The event gets underway at 6.00pm at the boathouse and there will be seats inside for you to enjoy your refreshments as well as look around the many displays in the boathouse area.

 

Sad News of Two Volunteers Passing Away
January 2010
 
Volunteers at Newbiggin Lifeboat Station received very sad news during the Christmas holidays when two members of our lifeboat ‘family’ passed away suddenly.

Marjorie Brown aged 75 years had worked tirelessly for Newbiggin Lifeboat Station and the Ladies Lifeboat Guild for over 24 years with 14 of those years as the Treasurer in the Ladies Guild. Marjorie was always at the many events which the Ladies run during the year to raise funds, taking an active role at whatever demands there was to make the event a success.
Marjorie also inspired her family to volunteer for the lifeboat also with daughters Viv and Val holding offices in the Ladies Guild and sister Joanne also coming along and helping. Marjorie’s son Jeff is another Brown involved with the station taking on the role as Helmsman since the 1990’s.
 
Henry Angus Rowe (Harry Rowe) also passed away suddenly over the Christmas period. Harry came from a family with a long active history of involvement with Newbiggin Lifeboat. His grandfather William Watson Brown served as Coxswain of the lifeboat from 1929 until 1945 and his Grandmother was one of the famous Women Lifeboat launchers who was recognised in the overland launch to the Eminent in 1940. Harry took an active role with the offshore lifeboats at Newbiggin and was Second Coxswain on ‘Mary Joicey’ until 1975 when he began fishing out of Blyth. Harry is recognised as launching his coble ‘Xmas Rose’ in July 1973 to a stricken yacht who had put out a distress call for help when a launching defect prevented the lifeboat from launching.
Harry leaves behind a devoted wife Doris and family members.
 
Two funeral services, one for Marjorie and one for Harry, were held on the same day with significant money from flowers and other donations from each service going to Newbiggin Lifeboat Station.  
 

6th January 2010

'Newbiggin Lifeboat volunteers were scrambled in horrendous blizzard weather tonight to stand by offshore during a shore incident at nearby cliffs.
The call for assistance came in at 1736hrs local and within minutes Newbiggin's Atlantic 75 class lifeboat 'CSMA 75th Anniversary' was launched on service with three crew on board. The lifeboat was on scene within minutes and stood by whilst other shore rescue units attended to the situation. Newbiggin was joined by Amble ALB who also stood by as a further support vessel. During that time at sea both lifeboats endured rough sea conditions, blizzards and extreme cold. After some two hours the lifeboats were stood down to return to their respective stations in the continuing blizzard conditions.
The lifeboat was then recovered, refuelled and washed down ready for service'.

 

Newbiggin by the Sea RNLI Video
We are pleased to annouce the issue of a exclusive
VHS video about Newbiggin RNLI station featuring high-lights of the 150th Anniversary Celebrations with the Duke of Northumberland in attendance.

To receive a copy contact Stan Green at-
Newbiggin@rnli.org.uk

Newbiggin by the Sea R.N.L.I. Website
Special thanks should go to Richard Martin, Stan Green and former Newbiggin Branch Chairman John Robinson, for providing much of the material used in the lifeboat website.
If anyone has any additional material or stories that they think would be of interest and would like to contribute to the site please contact:-

enquiry@newbigginbythesea.co.uk

Contact can also be made via

Newbiggin@rnli.org.uk