Brighton lifeboat station steps up recruitment after busy year
Brighton’s Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station has launched a recruitment drive for volunteer lifesavers, seeking six new lifeboat crew members and two launch authorities as the unit continues to cope with high demand for rescue cover along the city’s coastline.
The appeal follows a year in which Brighton crew recorded 65 taskings, with an increasing number of incidents involving members of the public in the water — specifically swimmers, paddleboarders and kayakers. Volunteers say the pattern of call‑outs points to a need for more local people to join the station so it can maintain 24‑hour readiness.
What the roles involve
The lifeboat station is based at Brighton Marina and both roles require volunteers to be close to the station so they can respond quickly when paged. Requirements advertised by the RNLI include:
- being a team player and a good communicator;
- having general fitness and the ability to learn new skills;
- for crew members, living or working within 15 minutes of the station;
- for launch authorities, living or working within 30 minutes of the station.
Volunteers must be able to respond quickly when their pager sounds, attend regular training and exercises, and assist with maintaining the lifeboat, station and equipment. Full training is provided by the RNLI.
Operational pressures and recent rescues
The recruitment appeal was prompted in part by an especially busy evening in June when Brighton volunteers rescued six people and assisted several others after offshore winds left swimmers, paddleboarders and kayakers struggling off the city’s coast. The station says such incidents are becoming a larger share of its workload.
| Statistic | Number |
|---|---|
| Taskings in last year | 65 |
| People rescued on busy June evening | 6 |
| Volunteer crew roles advertised | 6 |
| Launch authorities advertised | 2 |
The RNLI says launch authorities play a key leadership role during an incident: they are responsible for the station’s response when a service call is received from HM Coastguard, and for ensuring the crew, lifeboat and equipment are ready to respond safely and effectively. The station makes clear the role requires calmness under pressure and good communication to support and develop volunteer crew.
"If you’ve been thinking about giving back to the community and taking up a volunteer role, now is the time to do it," said Brighton RNLI volunteer lifeboat operations manager Charlie Dannreuther.
The station has been active at local events to raise awareness and encourage applications. Volunteers from Brighton RNLI took part in Brighton Pride this month and say meeting people at public events has helped spread the word about opportunities at the station.
How this affects Brighton
The appeal underlines the reliance Brighton places on volunteer responders to keep the city’s busy shoreline safe. Brighton is a popular place for open‑water activities and the city’s volunteers form part of the wider maritime safety network that includes HM Coastguard and neighbouring RNLI stations.
For residents and workers close to the marina, the call for volunteers is a practical invitation to help sustain a service that operates around the clock. For anyone who uses the sea recreationally, it is also a reminder of changing conditions and the value of safety planning when entering open water.
Those interested in applying are asked to contact Brighton RNLI for details about the recruitment process and training. The station has insisted that full training will be provided for successful applicants.
