Kessock lifeboatman called out on a rescue - on eve of his wedding

A lifeboat volunteer based at North Kessock on the Black Isle near Inverness was called out on a mission on the eve of his wedding.

This is one of the fascinating tales covered in Dan Holland's podcast that covers life with the RNLI.

Dan was inspired as an eight-year-old by watching the lifeboat launch from Flamborough Beach, North Landing, Yorks, and later he became a volunteer crew member at Kessock until about five years ago, and more recently produced with his business partner the very successful RNLI 200 Voices podcast.

In The Man Behind the Mic, which is available tomorrow 14 February, Dan introduces the episode by reflecting that responding to a call-out on the eve of his wedding meant that the RNLI was always part of the family story.

In one poignant story Dan tells of giving CPR to a casualty on board the lifeboat after he had been rescued from the water.

He felt the revival efforts were not successful and went home dejected only to hear on radio the next morning that the casualty had survived. Unsurprisingly, this is moment that endures for Dan.

Along with his business partner in Adventurous Audio, he produced the RNLI 200 Voices podcast series which has served as a special lead-in to March 4 when the charity celebrates its bicentenary.

This will also be marked by the RNLI in Scotland with special lighting up events at Kessock, Broughty Ferry and Oban.

One thought that remains with Dan from the hundreds of hours of interviews, is that for RNLI crew there is but a single focus out on a rescue - "everything else is left at home when you go to sea."

That thought is also reflected in Great Scot, another recent episode in which Anne Scott of Buckie RNLI who when she retired from a full-time position at the charity, took on a volunteer role at the station.

Speaking for a myriad of staff and volunteers Anne echoes thoughts of the RNLI as "family."

Available across all podcast platforms and the RNLI’s website, listeners can hear episodes involving accounts from survivors, supporters, volunteers, lifeguards, celebrity ambassadors, historians and many more from across Wales, England, Scotland Ireland and beyond.

Listen to the RNLI’s 200 Voices daily wherever you get your podcasts or at RNLI.org/200Voices

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