For one day only the independent lifeboat crews of the United Kingdom will be joining forces on Friday, 18th February 2011 to raise awareness for the lifeboat stations that operate outside the auspices of the RNLI.

Throughout the UK there are around 100 lifeboat units that are run by independent lifeboats throughout the UK and not by the RNLI and every year their volunteer crews respond to pager callouts.

Solent Rescue originally established in 1971 as a beach rescue unit operated by auxiliary coastguards, has since developed into a fully operational independent lifeboat station, which operates under the direct control of HM Coastguard and is responsible for approximately 33 square miles of the central and western Solent.

Training is to the same high standard and all our rescue craft must adhere to the same strict code as the RNLI, the crew members you see out on the boats and in the watch room windows are the whole team, not only responding to emergencies at sea and on the shores nearby, we are also responsible for their own fundraising, training and maintenance of our equipment.

Independent Lifeboat Units within the UK have existed for many years and need support to continue to run at the same high standard at which they have become renowned. Often mistaken as the RNLI the work of these units can go unnoticed, or the public will donate to the RNLI thinking that this money is going towards their local Independent Unit.

Our hope is that by all celebrating being Independent on the same day we can highlight the number of non RNLI units around raising awareness for our causes.

We urge everybody who has an Independent lifeboat unit around them to join in with the day by wearing something orange or holding an “orange” fundraising event and donating the funds rose to their local lifeboat unit.

We will never be as large as the RNLI, but our services in the areas we operate are just as crucial and with rising costs every year it is more important now than ever for our local communities to realise just who we are.

So please for one day only join us as we unite and help raise funds for all these volunteer run lifeboat stations throughout the United Kingdom.

Remember the RNLI are “NOT the only charity that saves lives at sea”

Solent Rescue can be contacted through our Secretary Kate Walker.

Donations can be made online through our website.

Solent Rescue would like to thank the Howdens joinery team for donating new kitchen base units  and worktops.

Many thanks to Luke for all your hardwork and patients you and your team are a credit to your company.

LIFEBOAT crews are used to dealing with emergencies, whenever and wherever they happen.

But one Hampshire rescue team were stunned when a life-threatening drama unfolded right before their eyes – when a man leapt off the Itchen Bridge and landed in the water just yards from their boat.

The off-duty members of Solent Rescue, based at Lepe Country Park, were testing their emergency vessel in the River Itchen after some maintenance work, when they were suddenly called into action.

They were able to save the man, who had jumped in an apparent suicide bid, leaving him suffering little more than shock.

Crewman Andy Walker said the team spotted him standing by a lamppost on the bridge above them, but initially assumed he was just taking photographs.

He said: “But as we went past we saw him looking off and so we slowed down and thought ‘hang on, this doesn’t look too good’.

“As we turned around we looked over our shoulders and he jumped.

“We saw him hit the water, so went straight over and pulled him out and got him in the recovery position.

“If it had been two or three seconds earlier he’d have probably landed in the boat, he was that close.

“I’ve done loads of rescues, but nothing as bad as that where we actually saw it happen – normally we get there after it’s happened.

“It must have been a cry for help because you can’t miss our boat with the big blue light on it, but someone was looking down on him.

“He was very, very lucky – he must have fallen 90 feet and it was a slack tide.

Luckily he went in feet first, but even then he could have hit the bottom and broken his legs.

“He was at least 50 metres from the shore and in that kind of shock you’re not going to be able to swim. He was bobbing about and his head kept going under. In Southampton Water, he could have just been swept away.”

Andy revealed it was sheer chance they were on the river last Thursday to save the man, who is believed to be a foreign national in his twenties who is facing deportation from the country.

He said: “We weren’t even on duty, and it’s not our patch.

“We didn’t know we were going out then – it was just a freak bit of luck for him really, but it was a good thing.”

Police and ambulance crews were called to the scene and spoke to the man once he was back on shore.

Article and images courtesey of the Daily Echo.

On Saturday 29th May Waitrose at Lymington presented Solent Rescue with a cheque for £350 and then a can shake took place outside the store and a further £388 was raised in two hours.

We would like to thank all concerned for their support.