2 local fishermen have each now qualified as the latest volunteer helms of Cowes RNLI lifeboat.
Ady Stothard, 41, who works for a firm making fruit and vinegar products, had been an ordinary member of the crew for the past 3 years, 6 months after joining the station.
The new helm says:
“I have had a few fishing boats over the years and as I always appreciated that the RNLI would help me if I was ever in trouble, I thought I would like to give something back to the organisation.”
Like Ady, Myles Hussey also likes to get out into the Solent with a fishing boat. The 30-year-old self-employed plumber has been on the lifeboat’s crew list for the past 18 months – a year after joining the station.
Welcoming the 2 men’s qualification to take charge of the station’s Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat – which normally carries a crew of 4 – Station Operations Manager Mark Southwell said:
“They have worked very hard to achieve command status, well supported professionally in their training by the existing helms and the fact that both qualified as helms on the first attempt reflects the high opinion the independent assessor has of them.
“Cowes continues to train future helms. To offer 24-hour cover, and provide boat crew training and local assessment, eight helms are the optimum for our station. We currently have six.”
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