Student Recognised with Bravery Award

Sixth Form student, Sam Dangerfield, has recently been commended for his bravery by the Royal Humane Society.

Sam has been volunteering and training with the Barmouth RNLI for the last few years and started his probationary year with the crew in 2016; he is one of the youngest volunteers nationally.

Sam said "I have always loved the sea and sailing and this has been enhanced by my time in the sailing club at Ellesmere. My dad is a member of the RNLI and when the opportunity came to get involved with them formally, I jumped at the chance. The training is regular and intense, but the feeling you get as a team when you all help to save someone is brilliant and these moments are priceless".

At the time Sam was acting as a beach warden within a small team of 4. Having been notified that a man had gone into the water and had got into difficulty, Sam let his training take hold and the team went out to rescue him, giving little thought to their own safety. Sam's involvement in this rescue earned him a Commendation for his bravery by the Royal Humane Society.

His certificate reads:

'It was resolved unanimously that Sam Dangerfield be commended for his praiseworthy actions in assisting in saving the life of a man and attempting to save the lives of two boys'

Sam said "having completed life-guard training, especially for these type of emergencies, you do not think of your own safety, but rely on all the hours of training we have had for such eventualities; the thought is only for those who you have been called out to help."

Sam recognises that being part of the RNLI team has given him much in return.

"I am far more confident than I was before, I have developed the skills to work well under pressure and to always think about the right decision". Sam recalls the view the lifeboat crew work as one complete unit and the crew are an exceptional team to be a part of. "Your life is in their hands! The team have been so supportive in helping me to progress in my training and being able to help to be an active and valuable member of the crew is inherently rewarding".

Sam is currently completing his A levels and hopes to continue with his RNLI work whilst at University. Sam will study at Plymouth and will read Navigational and Maritime Science. He hopes to complete further qualifications including the 'Yachtmaster Offshore' whilst in University.

16th January 2018  Back to News