Local crew was second busiest in the country last Christmas

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) have asked that the 5,000 RNLI volunteers on standby over the Christmas holiday period be given due recognition

The volunteers will be poised to leave their own festive celebrations to launch lifeboats and go to the rescue of anyone who needs their help.

Last year, between Christmas Eve and January 2, RNLI volunteer crews nationwide launched 99 times and rescued 36 people. The second-busiest station was Chiswick, which launched six times.

All volunteers carry a pager which alerts them when they are needed to rescue someone at sea. They are on- call 24/7, 365 days a year, with Christmas being no exception.

Michael Vlasto, RNLI operations director, said: "Christmas is typically a time of fun, rest and relaxation with family and friends, so the fact that our volunteer lifeboat crew members carry a pager all over the festive season and launch the lifeboats to rescue those in danger at sea is testament to their absolute commitment.

"In addition, there are a number of RNLI lifeguards who will be on duty, maintaining their watch on beaches at Sefton and Boscombe. We are extremely grateful to them all.

"Of course, it is not just the lifeboat crews we should remember, but also their families and friends, who too are prepared for Christmas to be disturbed by the call of the pager, and our dedicated fundraisers and supporters, whose work is vital in ensuring we, as a charity, have the funds we need to keep saving lives at sea."

To learn more about the lifeboat station go to www.chiswicklifeboat.org.uk  or www.facebook.com/ChiswickRNLI

December 28, 2012