A new volunteer crew member at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has made lifesaving a family affair, after joining his mum for his first shout.
Berwick-upon-Tweed RNLI Lifeboat Station in Northumberland recently welcomed Sean Dixon to their crew, joining his mum Shona Richardson who has been volunteering with the lifesaving charity since 1999. And when his pager recently sounded, he was glad to be going on his first shout with her.
The 29-year-old said: ‘The morning the pager went off for the first time was exciting – a real adrenaline rush, not knowing what we were responding to. But being able to go on my first shout with my mum was an added bonus. It gave me an insight into what she has been doing for years. Knowing we were able to help someone together was a great feeling. I’ve always thought about joining the lifeboat crew because of my mum and how much she loved being part of the RNLI. Now, I have the chance to learn new skills, gain valuable experience, and give back to the community.’
Since joining the crew, Shona has served as a crew member on both the D class inshore lifeboat and the Mersey all-weather lifeboat and became helm of the D class in 2008.
‘This was a truly special mother-and-son moment,’ she said ahead of Mother’s Day. ‘I couldn’t be prouder of Sean as he follows in my footsteps, volunteering with Berwick-upon-Tweed RNLI and dedicating himself to saving lives at sea.’
With RNLI connections running deep in the family – Sean’s stepbrother, Jack Laing, was a crew member for over five years, and Shona’s daughter, Saskia, was christened on the Berwick lifeboat in 2002 – Shona was immensely proud to stand beside her son on his first-ever shout.
Kevin Knox, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Berwick, said: ‘Since joining our crew, Sean has demonstrated outstanding dedication to his training. Both Sean and his mum, Shona, responded to their pagers and were selected for the call-out. For Shona, being part of the boat crew during her son’s first-ever shout was an incredibly proud moment, filled with emotion. It’s moments like these that beautifully capture the heart and spirit of our crew – dedication, family, and the unwavering commitment to saving lives.’
