Lyme Regis RNLI has welcomed two new Launching Authorities to its volunteer crew, Tony Thompkins and Nick Simpson, both bringing extensive experience and a strong connection to the local community.
Meet Tony Thompkins
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Tony's career began in the Royal Navy as a marine engineer and diver before moving into policing, serving with both Surrey Police and the City of London Police. After relocating to the southwest in 2014, he spent time working on commercial fishing vessels out of Lyme Regis and later qualified as a skipper.
When the covid pandemic hit, Tony returned to policing with Devon and Cornwall Police as part of the national response effort. Over the course of his career, he served an incredible 36 years as a Police Officer.
Now retired, Tony volunteers as a Blood Bike rider for Devon Freewheelers and has recently joined the RNLI team, he said "I am very pleased to join the RNLI and contribute to the valuable work our volunteers do in saving lives. This is a great way for me to give back to my local community."
Meet Nick Simpson
Nick has strong ties to Lyme Regis, having moved here with his family back in 1976. He is no stranger to rescue work, having volunteered for a decade with the local Coastguard Rescue Team until 2000.
Today, Nick works as a contract specialist with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, overseeing the closure and safe clean-up of the UK's earliest nuclear sites, he said "I already know many of the lifeboat crew and worked with them during my time as a Coastguard. It is a real privilege to join the crew and to help them continue to save lives at sea."
What does a Launching Authority do?
Launching Authorities play a vital role at the station, responsible for deciding when conditions are safe to launch the lifeboat in response to an emergency call. At Lyme Regis, one of the Launching Authorities is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Lifeboat Operations Manager, Mark Colley said "We are very pleased to welcome Tony and Nick to the Lyme Regis crew. They bring valuable maritime and management experience to our team of Launching Authorities."
How you can get involved
Not every role is at sea. The charity relies on many shore-based volunteers, from Launching Authorities to fundraisers. Anyone interested in joining can find out more information and current vacancies at RNLI.org/volunteer
Photo 1: Tony Thompkins joins Lyme Regis as a Launching Authority. Credit: RNLI/Nick Marks
Photo 2: Nick Simpson joins Lyme Regis RNLI as a Launching Authority. Credit: RNLI/Nick Marks