The final item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S4M-12759, in the name of David Torrance, on congratulations to Kinghorn lifeboat station on its 50th anniversary. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament congratulates Kinghorn Lifeboat Station on its 50th anniversary; understands that the Kinghorn station covers an area from Elie to North Berwick and all the way to the Forth bridges; understands that, since its establishment in 1965, the station has provided crucial services and launched over 1,000 times to save lives at sea and along the coastline; recognises that, in order to raise money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI), Kinghorn Lifeboat Station regularly organises fundraisers, which include an annual Halloween-themed event with spooky walks and refreshments as well as the Kinghorn Loony Dook to welcome the New Year; further recognises that, in 2015, 80 people took part in the dook, raising a total of £620; welcomes the close links between the lifeboat station and the community, which it believes contributes to the great success of these events; understands that, because of this cooperation, a golden theme in celebration of the anniversary and the lifeboat station’s long-standing services on the Firth of Forth has been included in many events organised by community groups, such as the Children’s Gala Parade, Kinghorn in Bloom and the Kinghorn Historical Society, and wishes everyone involved the best of luck for these events as well as all future endeavours.
16:33
I welcome to the gallery from Kinghorn lifeboat station Alan Mcllravie, operations manager; Joanne Wibberley, helm; Leanne Fisher, helm; Elizabeth Davidson, deputy launching authority; Charles Tulloch MBE, former operations manager, who served for more than 40 years; and Suzanne Gilfeather, who is the treasurer of Kinghorn community council.
Founded in 1824, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution has a long and fascinating life-saving history of which we should all be justifiably proud. The RNLI’s main purpose is to save lives at sea by providing on call a 24-hour lifeboat search and rescue service and a seasonal lifeguard service, with an ultimate vision of preventing loss of life at sea.
The first inshore lifeboat station in Scotland was established in Broughty Ferry 175 years ago, in 1840. The inshore rescue boat at Kinghorn was formally established on June 26 1965 and was very soon in action. On June 27—a memorable day in many respects: the legendary Jim Clark won the French grand prix—the lifeboat was called out. A catamaran with three crew found itself in difficulty passing close to Inchkeith island, and the station’s first service call took place. The rescue boat was manned by two men, one of whom was George Tulloch, the older brother of Charles Tulloch, who is in the gallery today and who helped to launch the rescue boat. Coincidentally, one of the men on the catamaran whom they set out to rescue that day was Charles’s twin brother, Gordon. Thankfully, the incident was resolved successfully for all concerned.
Since its inception 50 years ago, Kinghorn lifeboat station has played a vital role in helping people who are in difficulty in the surrounding waters. The new craft was initially housed in a wooden garage that was constructed on common ground behind what is now a sailing club. It is still there today and continues to be painted in the dark blue colour of the RNLI. Although most inshore boats were expected to have an operating area of a few miles, in those days, Kinghorn covered most of the Firth of Forth.
The station was manned by volunteers, as it is today, but conditions 50 years ago were less than favourable for the brave men who were called out to help people who were in distress. Initially, they went out in plastic trousers and plastic smocks with kapok-filled life jackets supplemented by oiled wool jerseys and woolly hats that were provided by the men themselves. That is not really adequate protection for getting into a boat or for the stormy seas that they often faced when they were called out.
The first boats, although very manoeuvrable, had little or no keel, which resulted in an uncomfortable and often painful ride for the volunteers, who were already soaked from launching the vessel. To add to the difficulties that they faced in the early days, the rescue boat did not have a radio and attempts to recall the boat in severe weather conditions through the use of flashing Aldis lamps were often unsuccessful. That was problematic for many years, and various alternatives were tried, including firing a green flare and another maroon one. When on exercise, the crew always remained in sight of Kinghorn beach because a white sheet would be hung out of a second-storey window if they needed to come ashore and be tasked with a rescue. Thankfully, more modern and up-to-date equipment makes it easier and safer for the crew when they are participating in exercises or helping people in distress.
One of my favourite stories is about the time when the inshore rescue boat set off from Kinghorn to help with the rescue of a stricken dinghy near Kirkcaldy—not by sea, but by road, towed by a crew member’s Land Rover. A police panda car was sent to the promenade in Kirkcaldy to escort the vehicle, but a crew member was not impressed with the progress that was being made. All of a sudden, the lifeboat overtook the police car, much to the consternation of the other crew members.
Lifeboat stations such as that at Kinghorn play a vital part in coastal communities, in protecting people in the area who use the sea for fishing and leisure activities, as well as in helping those who find themselves in trouble at sea while passing. I have cause to be thankful to the station: in the 1980s, my brother found himself in difficulty while at sea near Kinghorn and was grateful for the assistance that he received from Kinghorn lifeboat station.
The station is also committed to managing its impact on the environment and can be called upon to help to protect marine life. One such incident occurred when Alan McIlravie, the current operations manager, was part of an operation to assist marine biologists. Having had the sad task of towing the body of a beaked whale off the sand at Pettycur beach, the crew proceeded to Drum sands on the south side of the Forth, where they were instrumental in rescuing a dolphin, taking it into deep waters off Inchcolm and happily watching it head down the river to freedom.
The RNLI and the Kinghorn lifeboat station depend on volunteer crews, who are unpaid and are prepared to put their lives at risk to save others. That requires skill, courage and time. They are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and they often put out to sea in total darkness and terrifying conditions.
Although there were initially only male crews, there have been females at Kinghorn lifeboat station since the mid 1990s, three of whom are also in the gallery today. Women have demonstrated their ability to work alongside their male colleagues naturally and effortlessly, proving to be equal to them in any task that is assigned to them, and in some instances proving to be far better equipped to deal with some situations than their male counterparts.
In order for the men and women to do their job effectively, however, training and equipment are required on top of the annual running costs for the inshore lifeboat station at Kinghorn, which amount to £85,000 a year. Its work can be sustained only through the public’s generosity and the support that they provide through the variety of fundraising events that are organised in the community: £20 pounds can keep a lifeboat running at full speed for 10 minutes. Kinghorn RNLI station has close links with the local community, and in holding fundraising events in this, its 50th anniversary year, it is pushing the boat out with a year of events with a golden theme. It began the year with the golden loony dook. About 80 people took part and the event resulted in £620 being donated on the day, with further sponsorship expected to boost the total.
Other fundraising events have included volunteers swimming in the Forth to raise funds, venturing out of the boathouse as Stormy Stan, making pancakes and even being able to metamorphose into a witch for the spooky walk.
In its 50th anniversary year, I commend Kinghorn lifeboat station and all those who have given their time to serve as volunteer crew members or in another capacity, and those who have generously supported them in whatever way they could. The dedication of those who have served as crew members and those who have supported them has enabled the station to complete nearly 1,300 call-outs over the past 50 years and has saved about 389 lives.
In congratulating Kinghorn life station on its 50th anniversary, I reiterate that it is an organisation that truly serves the community and the surrounding area in so many different ways, so it is indeed deserving of the tremendous support that it has received over the years from the people of Kinghorn. I applaud not only the members of the station crew, but the people of Kinghorn for their efforts, and wish them well for the future.
16:40
I thank David Torrance for securing the time this afternoon to have this debate, and I welcome our visitors from Kinghorn to the gallery.
Debates that congratulate and acknowledge the immense contribution that local organisations and volunteers make to our communities are always welcome. It is right that, among all the political debates, the Parliament has the time to come together and welcome the achievements of people and organisations in our regions, and Kinghorn lifeboat station deserves this recognition. Established in 1965, for 50 years it has been looking after and serving our coastline. Its responsibility stretches from Elie to North Berwick and includes the Forth bridges. It is amazing—and reveals such dedication—that lifeboat stations are run by volunteers and funded by money that is raised for the RNLI.
As a Fifer who goes to local events, I know that we will always find at them an RNLI stall promoting its cause and raising money. At the last such event I attended, I came away with a dolphin bracelet from the RNLI stall, but I have to say that it was not for me. I am also a Fifer who, over the years, has spent many sunny days on Kinghorn beach, where watching for activity from the lifeboat station is one of the ways to pass the time.
Fife has a busy coastline. We have commercial activity and leisure activity in our seas. As I drove home last night to Burntisland from a school concert in Aberhill primary school, I noted that there is so much to see in the drive along the coast: from industrial platforms to cruise ships and sailing boats. The lifeboat station supports and protects all those activities.
It is interesting to look at the Kinghorn station’s history and see that its establishment in 1965 was partly in response to growing leisure activity in the seas. The RNLI recently launched the respect the water campaign, which focuses on staying safe when enjoying water sports and waterside activities such as kitesurfing, kayaking, beach visits and sailing. The sea is to be enjoyed, but we all have a responsibility when doing so to take care of ourselves and others.
The lifeboat station provides valuable assistance to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which depends on the lifeboat service. It is a huge achievement to maintain a highly trained and dedicated crew—all volunteers—who are available and ready 24 hours a day, every single day of the year, and for the volunteers at Kinghorn and around the country, we should offer our thanks. As well as giving their time, those highly skilled volunteer crews demonstrate courage and commitment. They are prepared to go out to sea in terrible conditions, often in the middle of the night, when the call for assistance comes.
I thank, too, the volunteers who run the organisation and do all the fundraising. David Torrance has outlined the range of fundraising activity that they do in Kinghorn involving attractions that bring in people from all over Fife, with the Halloween walks and the loony dook being two of the highlights. Fundraising can be difficult, but the strengthening links between the lifeboat stations and the community help to support that activity. I welcome all the golden anniversary events that are being held this year and wish them much success.
Earlier this year, the lifeboat station photography project started, with support from the RNLI. For the project, photographer Jack Lowe aims to visit every lifeboat station in Britain and Ireland, and to use Victorian photography methods to document each station. That will culminate in an exhibition where each photographic glass plate will be hung in geographical order around a huge room, depicting a vision of the entire coastline of the British Isles through photographs of lifeboat stations. If the project is completed, it will give a sense of history and demonstrate the lifeboat stations’ dedication to country and community.
For Kinghorn, this is a time of celebration, and 50 years of service is an achievement to be honoured. I give thanks to our lifeboat station, as I am sure every member of the Parliament does, for the immense work that it does 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
16:44
It is a privilege to have the opportunity to speak on the subject of Kinghorn lifeboat station, and I commend David Torrance for bringing the debate to the chamber.
As is the case with all the emergency services, the job that the Royal National Lifeboat Institution does is too easily taken for granted, so occasions such as this evening’s debate offer a valuable opportunity to remind ourselves of the lifesaving service that it provides. The fact that the RNLI is composed entirely of volunteers further underlines the sacrifice that they make; that they do so on a 365-day-a-year, 24/7 basis makes it all the more commendable.
It is worth reminding ourselves that the RNLI is in fact a charity that has its headquarters and college at Poole in Dorset. It has a network of stations throughout the UK that function purely as a result of the commitment of its volunteer crews. That network consists of 236 lifeboat stations, one of which is Kinghorn lifeboat station. Based on the coast of Fife, it covers an extensive area along the Firth of Forth from Elie in my constituency to North Berwick.
For those who are not well acquainted with the sea, it is an environment that must not be underestimated but so often is. It can turn unexpectedly from a serene, flat, calm setting to an extremely hostile one in a very short space of time. The sea is a force to be reckoned with, and anyone who does not take heed of that throws the dice every time they embark on its surface. It is in that inherently dangerous and changeable arena that crews often find themselves being called on to operate to save lives at sea. The most recent example of that for Kinghorn lifeboat station was a call that it received on Wednesday 17 June this year. The task that it faces has been made much more difficult since the United Kingdom Government’s decision to close the Fife coastguard station in 2012, which has meant that the remaining stations have to cover a much larger area than they did previously.
There has been a lifeboat crew in place at Kinghorn since 1965, as has been mentioned, and it has made progress in obtaining better craft. Its current model is an Atlantic 85-class RNLI lifeboat, a rigid inflatable boat that is 8.3m long and which can reach speeds of up to 35 knots in order to reach those in peril at sea. That can be achieved in sea conditions up to those associated with onshore winds of force 7. Given that the boat is valued at £185,000, it is no mean feat that it has been provided as a direct result of fundraising by devoted crews and RNLI members across the country.
If that were not enough, the lifeboat must be launched from its own drive-on, drive-off trailer—otherwise known as a DODO—that is moved by a launching tractor. With a value of £120,000, it allows the crew to move the boat from the station, which is situated at the west end of Kinghorn beach, into the sea after travelling some distance across the beach, depending on the tide. I look forward to catching that on “The Fountainbridge Show”, for which I understand that some filming took place recently, on STV in the coming weeks.
The station has been in its current form since 1995 and can be accessed via the promenade to the east or a set of stairs down the hill to the west. Its setting in the local community is wholly appropriate, given the incredible and relentless support that it receives from the community.
Being a crew member of the RNLI does not stop at performing rescues, although the fact that the station has dealt with 1,300 call-outs since its establishment, saving around 389 lives, is a huge achievement. Fundraising is an essential part of the crew’s duty. Without it, the RNLI would simply cease to exist. Therefore, I am pleased to publicise the upcoming events, including the open day that will be held on 11 July to celebrate the 50th anniversary. That comes on top of five other publicised events earlier this year. The fact that those events occur at all is down to the commitment of the nine members of the committee, which is headed up by the president, Sheona Baxter. I commend the committee for its hard work. The nature of such endeavours means that they often go unseen, but they must not go unrecognised.
I am sure that all members would join me in congratulating Kinghorn lifeboat station’s crew, the Kinghorn community and the RNLI on their work and all that goes with it. They represent a huge contribution to Fife, and to all the people who rely on them and are enabled to take to the sea with the confidence that a professional volunteer force is ready to react should the need arise.
16:49
I thank David Torrance for presenting his motion to Parliament. I, too, congratulate Kinghorn lifeboat station, and I wish it a very happy 50th, or golden, anniversary.
There are certain charities that are held in particularly high public esteem, and I have no doubt whatsoever that the RNLI is one of them. Indeed, the lifeboats and their stations are to me iconic symbols of the very best in public service—the Kinghorn station is exactly that.
The station has many remarkable stories. David Torrance mentioned the station’s first call-out, which I think he said happened within 24 hours of its founding, to rescue the pilots of a catamaran whose mast had snapped. So desperate were the pilots to avoid being saved by the volunteers that they tried very hard to beat them off with their paddles—if I heard David Torrance correctly.
There have been other incidents. I believe that the crew once made a very quick exit from a very special local wedding. Then there was the visit of the Queen’s baton in the lead-up to the Commonwealth games.
I have a very vague memory that as a child—a very young child, I hasten to add—my father, who was a very proud Fifer, took me to see the new Kinghorn lifeboat station in 1965, not long after the new Forth road bridge had opened the previous September. My mother still recalls my father being extremely impressed by what he saw.
As David Torrance has made clear, lifeboats have been launched from the station more than 1,000 times and they have saved the lives of just under 400 people, as the motion states.
One of the most interesting aspects for me is the social history, as well as the maritime history. Clearly the Tulloch family are best placed to know exactly what has been involved. They have been quite extraordinary in their support for the lifeboat. In an interview with Fife Today in April, Charlie Tulloch commented on how much the process of a call-out and the boat itself had changed over the years. He said:
“when the lifeboat first arrived in Kinghorn it was launched by hand, and you had to get wet whilst doing so. It wasn’t like the current boat where they have dry-suits, gloves and even seats in the boat!”
I believe that Charlie Tulloch exemplifies what I said about lifeboats being the iconic symbol of the best in public service, and he is well deserving of his honour in that respect. I know that everybody in the chamber will support that.
I entirely agree with Claire Baker’s comments about the fundraising efforts of all those connected with the station in the community. Volunteers have swum the Forth and held all kinds of fundraising events, including gathering donations at the door. The way in which that has taken place shows the love and affection for the station.
To put the donations in context, David Torrance said that £20 can keep a lifeboat running for 10 minutes at full tilt or purchase a first aid trauma kit that could save someone’s life. That puts everything very much in perspective.
I do not think that we can praise those involved with the Kinghorn lifeboat highly enough for all that they have done. They are magnificent and they provide that feeling of security and safety to many people who take to the seas. They are part of the intrinsic value of the community, and for that alone they deserve all the praise that we can lay on them.
16:53
Let me start, as I properly should, by congratulating David Torrance on bringing this subject to Parliament’s attention and giving us the opportunity to debate it.
The lifeboats are a very important part of my constituency. We have four lifeboat stations—at Buckie, Macduff, Fraserburgh and Peterhead—because, of course, we are essentially a coastal constituency. I know how much my constituents value having the lifeboats, which provide the security of knowing that there is someone on standby who knows what they are doing and has the equipment to do it. Given what goes on in Kinghorn, it is no surprise to find the esteem in which the lifeboat service is held there.
Of course Kinghorn has had many maritime connections, such as the death of Alexander III in 1286, which meant that the Maid of Norway became the Queen of Scotland at the age of three. She then drowned off St Margaret’s Hope in 1290, which caused the wars of independence that underpinned much of the history of Scotland of those times and which resonate today. Kinghorn has a history around the sea and a history around the lifeboat.
I was interested to read about the early experience of the lifeboat in 1965, when it rescued leisure sailors—or perhaps did not, because they did not want to be rescued. I used to do a lot of dinghy sailing. I am not quite sure that I was out at Kinghorn on that particular day, but I would love to go back and look at my records and find that that was the case. However, I am pretty confident that it was not.
Lifeboats in Kinghorn and elsewhere are quite high tech now. The first rescue boats were cobbles. A couple of guys rowed them and somebody would be in the stern steering the boat towards the vessel in distress. We have made a lot of progress in professionalising and improving the quality of support.
Claire Baker mentioned the respect the water campaign. It is as well to remind ourselves that the sea is a cruel mistress and can be very dangerous. I do not know how many members are aware that a cubic metre of water weighs a tonne. Therefore, it is not a trivial matter when water comes in waves. That is not like the water in the bath that we feel is comfortable and warm in surrounding us. Once we are out at sea, water can be one of the most dangerous prospects. It can be so for any fisherman in my constituency, leisure yacht in Kinghorn or, indeed, aviator who has taken off from Edinburgh airport and come to grief in the Forth, as has been the case.
On one particular occasion, a lifeboat—I am slightly uncertain about whether it was the Anstruther boat or the Kinghorn boat—even went to the rescue of the pirate radio ship LV Comet, from which Radio Scotland broadcast between 1966 and 1967. That was off the Bell rock. When the anchors were drifting, the lifeboat had to go out and help. The lifeboats therefore get involved in a wide range of activities.
I will leave members with a little humorous remark that one of my constituents made about his service on the lifeboat and the conditions that he often experienced. If I may put it in this way, he said that it was the best cure for constipation that he has ever met.
Thank you. Just enough information there.
16:57
Like all members, I am delighted that we have the opportunity to commend Kinghorn lifeboat station and its volunteer crews for all the valuable work that they do in saving lives along both sides of the Forth.
The crews have given their time and effort for 50 years to serve all those who use the waters in the surrounding area. It is a great pleasure for me to thank the many people who have made such an important contribution to Kinghorn and the surrounding area and to extend those thanks to the RNLI and its lifeboat crews across Scotland.
As we have heard, Kinghorn lifeboat station is an RNLI-funded-and-operated rescue station on the coast of Fife. It is situated three miles from Kirkcaldy and across the Forth estuary from Edinburgh, which is the city that I am proud to represent. It is available and ready 24 hours a day every single day of the year to assist the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in effecting rescues between Elie Ness and Aberlady to the east and Inchcolm and Granton to the west.
As we have heard, the Kinghorn lifeboat was first launched in 1965. As David Torrance pointed out, it was called to its first use just a very short time after it was instituted. It has been launched more than 1,000 times in the 50 years since then to save lives at sea and along the coastline.
The RNLI’s volunteers and staff strive for excellence. They are selfless: they are willing to put the requirements of others before their own and the needs of the team before the individual. They are dependable, always available and committed to doing their part in saving lives with professionalism and expertise. They are trustworthy, responsible, accountable and efficient in the use of the donations that are entrusted to the RNLI by their supporters. They are also courageous, as they are prepared to achieve their aims in changing and challenging environments that most of us would shrink back from.
The RNLI has been an essential part of the country’s life for nearly 200 years. The statistics speak for themselves. In 2013, there were 8,304 launches across the United Kingdom, which is an average of 23 launches a day. More important, a total of 8,384 people were rescued during the same period. That is an average of 23 people rescued each day. Closer to home, the Kinghorn lifeboat regularly takes part in rescues along our coast and was launched as recently as 17 June.
The lifeboat crews are all volunteers. Their particular expertise is in the preservation of life at sea and on the water through prevention and rescue. They are part of a proud tradition of saving lines spanning nearly two centuries. They are available 24/7, whatever the weather, to rescue those who need help.
The volunteer crews are the backbone of the lifeboat service, physically going out and saving lives at sea, but it takes many more volunteers to run a lifeboat station effectively. We should recognise all those volunteers: the lifeboat operations manager who is in charge of authorising launches and day-to-day station management; the lifeboat management group, which represents the station in the local community; and the volunteers who lead the fund-raising efforts that support the lifeboat’s valuable work—the RNLI is very clear, and always has been, that it does not seek funding from central Government. I am glad to welcome to Parliament the range of people who have participated in all those ways.
I have been impressed by the range of fund-raising activity undertaken on behalf of the Kinghorn lifeboat, from spooky walks to the loony dook. I assure Kirkcaldy’s MSP, David Torrance, that if he were to invite the minister to take part in the latter event, I would have to find something else to do that day.
The level of support and activity shows the importance of the lifeboat, not just as a service but as a cherished and indispensable part of the community as a whole. The volunteers who run lifeboat stations and crew the lifeboats are just a small part of the huge range of formal and informal volunteering that goes on across Scotland throughout the year.
More than 1 million people volunteer in Scotland each year, in a wide range of circumstances—from on our seas to in our care homes—and the Scottish Government recognises the contribution that our volunteers make to the lives of individuals and communities across Scotland.
Volunteers of all ages make our society strong. They are vital to the success of our country and they often play a major part in building the confidence of those who feel marginalised in our society, helping them to realise their potential and develop their talents and skills. Volunteering helps people to find ways to lead healthy, fulfilled lives and become economically active. There is no doubt that volunteering helps individuals, organisations and communities.
We are proud that Scotland has so many people willing to give their time and effort to strengthen their communities and help those less fortunate than themselves—even at the risk of their own lives. Their involvement reflects a community spirit of active and responsible citizenship to which we should all aspire.
Scotland is well renowned for its community spirit: so many people are making a difference in their own communities without any fanfare, doing what they believe in without any expectation of any great reward. They are our unsung heroes and heroines. It is fitting that we take this moment to recognise them.
What motivates any individual to get involved will vary but what is most impressive is their determination to make a difference and what they achieve with the skills and experience that they bring to their voluntary work. I am proud that Scotland has so many people who care and who are willing to give their own time and effort to help those less fortunate than themselves.
Let me say well done to the Kinghorn lifeboat crews who have done so much over the past 50 years since the Kinghorn lifeboat was first launched. I thank them all. The Scottish Government recognises the vital and often dangerous role that they play in serving those who use the waters in Kinghorn and surrounding area, and we recognise the wider role of the RNLI throughout Scotland.
David Torrance said that 389 people had been saved by the Kinghorn lifeboat. Those are 389 people whose lives went on, who could raise families, be with friends and continue to be loved rather than mourned. No words from me could ever carry more weight than the simple truth of all those lives that have been touched by the work of the Kinghorn lifeboat crews.
Meeting closed at 17:04.Previous
Decision Time