RNLI volunteer mothers on call on Mother’s Day in Kent and Sussex

A group of mothers who volunteer for the RNLI are on call on Mother’s Day.

Lifeboat volunteers in Kent, East Sussex and West Sussex will leave their plans for Mothering Sunday at a moment’s notice to help save lives at sea.

Sheena Crawley, shore crew and family liaison officer in Dungeness, will spend the day with her daughter Steph regardless, as she too is a volunteer.

“Being a mum and volunteering can be a tough balancing act, especially when you add things like work and family life into the equation,” she said.

Steph joined the RNLI in Dungeness as shore crew on her 18th birthday after spending time at the lifeboat station as a child, Ms Crawley added.

Nine mothers are volunteers at the RNLI lifeboat station in Dungeness, with roles ranging from crew to operations managers to shop volunteers.

In Selsey, two mothers are on the lifeboat crew, including Kristina Staples who has been a volunteer for 11 years.

Her colleague, Emily Sharman, said her two children, aged three and five, were “excited” about her lifeboat role.

She said: “They enjoy seeing the lifeboats launch on exercise and often ask what I learnt on the boat after a training session.

“When the pager goes off and I’m shooting out the door they shout, ‘Go mummy’.”