LIFEBOAT volunteers in North Berwick responded to 31 incidents during 2023.

The charity, which this year celebrates its 200th year, relies on volunteers to run the lifesaving service in North Berwick.

Last year, the volunteers spent 85 hours on service over 21 launches.

RNLI lifeboats across the UK and Ireland launched 9,192 times over the 12 months, saving 355 lives, and lifeboats in Scotland launched 1,251 times, saving 15 lives.

Ricky Martin, lifeboat operations manager, praised volunteers for their hard work and also the people supporting the good cause.

He said: “Our crew are enormously dedicated, spending many hours each week, training to a high standard whilst also maintaining our lifesaving equipment so that we can be ready to respond at a moment’s notice.

“It’s not only our lifeboat and shore crew who put the hours in though.

“We have around 60 volunteers at the station, about two-thirds of them volunteering on the fundraising committee or in the much-loved RNLI shop.

“Incredibly, last year our wee shop was visited by over 10,000 people, and sold over 100 pairs of kids’ yellow wellies!

“We’re very proud of our shop volunteers, headed by Jill Sim.

“The funds they raise, alongside our fundraising committee, are vital to supporting the running of the station.

“As always, we owe the local community and visitors to North Berwick a massive thank you for their support.”

Incidents responded to by the crew in North Berwick included numerous searches, one covering 35 nautical miles of water, rescues of kayakers and stand-up paddleboards caught out in offshore winds, shore-side medical incidents, and six callouts in the first full week of the school summer holidays.

With demand for its lifesaving services at a high, the charity is putting out its own ‘Mayday’ call, urging members of the community to take part in the Mayday Mile – taking on the challenge of covering a mile a day in May.

All money raised will help to provide the charity’s lifesaving service, such as the training and equipment that is needed to keep its lifesavers safe while they risk their own lives to save others.