Cleethorpes RNLI highlights volunteers' vital work on 200th birthday
Today marks 200 years since the RNLI was founded.
Volunteers in Cleethorpes have shared the level of sacrifice behind the 144,000 lives the RNLI has saved as it marks its 200th birthday.
A service of thanksgiving to mark the occasion will be held at Westminster Abbey to commemorate the work the RNLI has done since 1824.
Steve Austin, an RNLI volunteer of 16 years said: "we do 20 hours per week per person, we don't get paid at all, and that includes training and being available for service. We're available 24/7, most of the guys give up nearly all their spare time.
"There's an awful lot of people walking about and families who have their loved ones because of what we do. We can't do it unless the general public fund us which they do, and we're very grateful for that."
The RNLI in Cleethorpes saw its busiest ever year in 2023, with over 80 callouts. The team has already been called out by the coastguard six times this year, and has saved one person's life.
Sam Grice, an RNLI volunteer of just under 2 years said: "Very recently we've been called out at one, two and three in the morning. I've got a young family at home so it's not only me getting up, it's also the knock on effect of waking them up."
"Everybody cares, no matter what. Without this service there'd be a lot of lives at risk. I think the RNLI is an absolutely brilliant organisation and even at Cleethorpes we're all one big family."