RNLI volunteer records 100th life saved in 40 years

16 hours ago

Henry Godfrey-EvansEssex

News image — Tony Bonham, 59, says he feels young and has "years" left in him

Supplied A man with a red floatation vest and a yellow jacket standing in front of an orange boat on the coast. On it is the word RNLI. — Tony Bonham, 59, says he feels young and has "years" left in him

An RNLI volunteer commander has saved more than 100 people since he signed up 40 years ago.

Tony Bonham has logged 101 lives saved and 953 people aided since Southend-on-Sea station's record-keeping began in 1996, 10 years after he started. He said the real number was probably much higher.

The 59-year-old began volunteering as a lifeguard at nearby Shoebury West beach aged 15, joining the lifeboat team four years later.

"We don't look at ourselves as heroes. I've been, I've done a job, I'm getting on with work now... we never look for recognition," he said.

If the person would have drowned without their assistance, it is recorded as a life saved, otherwise it is "assisted".

"There's 100 families plus that have still got their loved ones with them," he said.

Southend RNLI A granddad and a dad sat in an orange RNLI lifeboat with the grandson sat on top of it — Three generations of Bonhams - Tony Bonham with his son Tyler, and his son who "always wants to go down to the lifeboat station"

Bonham said they lose a lot of volunteers due to the commitment that is asked of them.

"You can be out days, nights, anniversaries, Christmas Day. If you're on duty and you get a call, you've got to go," he said.

"We could be out at two in the morning... we do the job, we put everything back, make sure it's all ready.

"We go home to our families and carry on the next day. You might read about it in the paper; you might not."

'I'm young, I'm 59'

Henry Godfrey-Evans/BBC A smiling man wearing a black fleece/hoodie on. It has white marks on the right shoulder. — Tony Bonham was a lifeguard until he was old enough to sign up for the RNLI

Bonham says he is "very proud" of his son Tyler, who will soon be starting as a commander at the Gravesend lifeboat in Kent - and the family's involvement looks like it could extend to another generation.

"Now his son, who's six, always wants to go down to the lifeboat station. He enjoys the cookies," said Tony.

Talking to Sonia Watson on BBC Essex, he described being called out together with his son for the first time recently.

"He was my helm, I was his crew and it was really, really funny him being in charge," he said.

"But I still got dressed quicker and was out before him."

He said he never turns his pager off, and returned to duty straight after the interview.

"I still feel young. I am young - I'm 59 - got many years in me to go yet," he said.

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