Lifeboat personnel awarded coronation medals

Lord Lieutenant Lindsay Tulloch (left) presented coronation medals to Lerwick lifeboat personnel. Pictured (from left): coxswain John Best, Stephen Manson, Peter Kerr, Ryan Leith, Kenneth Couper, Nathan Mann, Malcolm Craigie, Vice Lieutenant Iain Tulloch and RNLI Lerwick branch chairman John Webster.

Coronation medals have been awarded to those with five years’ service with the Lerwick lifeboat. It follows a special event attended yesterday by Lord Lieutenant Lindsay Tulloch.

The medal marks the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on6th May 2023.

It is being given to over 400,000 recipients – including serving members of the armed forces, emergency services personnel, those involved in the coronation ceremony, and living recipients of the Victoria Cross and the George Cross.

Eligibility to receive the medal includes paid and voluntary lifeboat crew in an operational role.

Eleven people connected with RNLI in Lerwick have received the medal – coxswain Stephen Manson, deputy coxswain Tommy Goudie, Kenneth Couper, Gareth Geddes, Peter Kerr and Nathan Mann.

Lifeboat operations manager Malcolm Craigie also received the recognition, along with deputy launch authorities Ryan Leith and John Best, branch treasurer Stevie Grant and former crewmember John Drummond.

King Charles is the patron and president of the RNLI, continuing the traditionof patronage for the charity by the reigning monarch, which began when the RNLI was founded 200 years ago in 1824 with King George IV as its first patron.

John Webster, branch chairman for RNLI Lerwick said: “Everyone in our station contributes to helping save lives at sea and these medals particularly recognise the service and commitment of some of our lifeboat crew and shore-side volunteers.

“I’d like to especially thank the lord lieutenant for coming along today to present these medals on behalf of His Majesty.”