20-year medal for Oban RNLI mechanic

Oban lifeboat's full-time mechanic Tom Kennedy has been recognised for his 20 years of service to the RNLI.

 

Tom received his 20-year medal from lifeboat operations manager Ped Mackinnon – who Tom took over from when he joined the crew in Oban in 2016.

 

Tom says he grew up in Largs and joined the crew there in 2003, adding: "I have been around boats all my life and been sailing since I was a kid. It was a natural progression to join the RNLI – something I had always wanted to do," he said.

 

“My dad was an engineer and he was always making things and fixing things, and that rubbed off on me. As a volunteer in Largs and then Troon, I trained to become a deputy mechanic, first on Troon's inshore lifeboat and then their all-weather vessel, before applying to work in Oban."

 

In recent years two members of Oban’s volunteer crew have qualified as deputy mechanics and another two are in training.

 

"People think mechanics only work deep down in the engine room. When we are out on a shout, I am in the wheelhouse, not just keeping an eye on the machinery and gauges, but also being an extra pair of eyes working alongside the rest of the crew," he added.

 

"Each of us has a role in making sure that the boat can go out to sea safely, and do what we do. You can't do it without the person standing next to you.”

 

Meanwhile remarkable stories from around Scotland will be shared as part of the RNLI’s new 200 Voices podcast that was launched in August. In the run-up to the charity’s bicentenary on March 4, 2024, an episode will be released every day for 200 days. Exploring captivating stories from the charity’s history and through to the current day.

 

The unique podcast series will hear from people connected to the RNLI in Scotland and those whose lives have been touched by the lifesaving charity. Hear from locals with a special kinship to their lifeboat station, a crew member who’s been on service for a generation, or the family of someone rescued by an RNLI frontline lifesaver – each episode is sure to take the listener on a journey through a touching story.

 

The charity has been saving lives at sea since it was founded in 1824 and, in that time, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 144,000 lives. Funded by voluntary donations, and with lifeboats crewed by specially-trained volunteers, the RNLI is a truly unique rescue organisation with an incredible 200-year story to tell – many highlights of which are shared through the podcast series.

 

Available across all podcast platforms and the RNLI’s website, listeners can hear from survivors, supporters, volunteers, lifeguards, celebrity ambassadors, historians and many more from across Wales, England, Scotland Ireland and beyond.