Newcastle RNLI will bid farewell to their all-weather lifeboat, the last operational Mersey class lifeboat in the charity’s fleet, at 12.20pm on Sunday, 11 January. The time coincides with the number on the side of the Leonard Kent.

Niall McGrotty recently stepped down as lifeboat operations manager after 44 years of volunteering for Skerries RNLI.

Ballyglass RNLI Coxswain James Mangan is hanging up his yellow wellies after 36 years of service.