The crew of St Ives RNLI have paid tribute to Scott Perkin, who is stepping down from his voluntary role after 15 years.
Left to right: lifeboat operations manager, James Perkin, Scott
Perkin, and coxswain, Rob Cocking
Scott joined the St Ives RNLI family in 2004, training to be a volunteer for the all-weather lifeboat. He quickly followed up with training for the inshore lifeboat.
As time went on, Scott progressed, and by 2009 he was a fully-qualified ALB crew, ILB crew, ILB helm, and then ALB mechanic. But Scott continued his dedicated development and achieved a full pass out for second mechanic, launch vehicle driver, deputy second coxswain, and finally second coxswain.
It’s a real testament to his service that he was directly involved in saving the lives of 32 people over the course of his volunteering at St Ives.
Coxswain, Rob Cocking, said: “Scott was an integral part of this lifeboat station, a fully committed volunteer, and we are very grateful for his service. Fifteen years is a considerable amount of time to dedicate voluntarily to the lifeboat and we wish Scott all the best for the future. He will be sorely missed.”
Scott said: “I lived around the harbour, I grew up with my family there. So I always saw the lifeboat and crew. I’m a St Ives boy, and being on the lifeboat was natural.”
Scott has many memories associated with his time with the RNLI, but one of his later shouts stands out. He’d launched the ALB in a force 8 gale as coxswain. Conditions were challenging and the crew launched in support of the police to search for a missing person.
‘When you get home, you feel proud’
Scott said: “One of the things that strikes you most is that you are responsible as second coxswain for all of the safety of the crew, those six lives, and ensuring they return home to their families.
“We had large swells and big seas, and your focus is, of course, to perform your role, and assist in the search. But as coxswain, your crew are your full focus and responsibility, and their safety is your total priority.
“We did our job that night, and there were some very tense moments on that shout. But we did our job, and returned to the station. That feeling of total responsibility is like no other — but when you do get back home, you feel proud. That’s lifeboating.
“Now I am moving on to a different point in my life, what I will miss most is the crew, the people. That’s what makes volunteering for the RNLI so rewarding.”
James Perkin, lifeboat operations manager, presented a vellum to Scott that detailed his volunteering career, differing roles through that volunteer journey, and an account of the lives that Scott was directly involved in saving.
James said: “Whilst we are sad that Scott is standing down, we are also incredibly thankful for the many years of dedicated service, his proud record of achievements, and the lives he has saved as a result of that service. He will be missed.”
