Full crew for the Aberdyfi lifeboat family

Five members of the Edwards family in Aberdovey are now actively involved with the RNLI lifeboat station in the village. Dad – Paul, and Mum – Beth, have both been with the service for many years and were among the first to welcome their youngest son Alun, as the newest recruit to the crew recently.

Dad, Paul, has been a volunteer with the RNLI lifeboat station in Aberdovey for 30 years – 20 as a volunteer crew member, including time as a helmsman, and for the past 10 years as shore crew and Deputy Launch Authority. He is also the station’s RNLI Sea Safety Officer.

Mum, Beth, has been a member of the Aberdovey Lifeboat Guild for 22 years and is a past Secretary of the Guild. She has been involved in many fundraising activities for the RNLI charity and for the station, including a couple of white-water rafting expeditions at Bala.

Eldest son, Gareth, now 21, joined the lifeboat crew at the age of 17. Gareth was awarded his Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award last year having completed his voluntary work experience at Aberdovey lifeboat station.

Youngest son, Alun, has just been accepted as a new member of the RNLI volunteer crew. Alun will receive some training on station in Aberdovey and will also travel to the RNLI Lifeboat College in Poole to undergo a full crew training course under the expert tuition of the training officers there.

Alun said, “I’m really looking forward to the Poole course. The other crew members tell me it’s very intensive – but a great experience!” And last but by no means least, Alun’s twin sister Ceris, although not a ‘boaty’ person, willingly helps her Mum out with Guild fundraising events.

So if you ever get to Aberdovey and witness a lifeboat launch, you may well see Paul co-ordinating operations or driving the launch tractor, Gareth or Alun out on the boat and Beth or Ceris rattling the collection tins not too far away.