Two helms of Carrybridge RNLI were recently recognised for their long voluntary service to the lifesaving charity.

Chris Cathcart and David Reid have both served 20 years rescuing those in trouble on Lough Erne and during a visit to the station by the RNLI Chief Executive, Mark Dowie, were presented with medals to thank them for their volunteering service.

Over the past 20 years, since the station was formed on Upper Lough Erne, Chris and David have been involved in hundreds of rescues involving a wide variety of call outs. Between the two volunteers they have attended all manners of callouts on Lough Erne, helping people, boats and also stranded animals in distress.

In addition to the helm role, Chris is also the lifeboat training co-ordinator and lifeboat press officer while David is the inshore lifeboat/launch and recovery plant mechanic. Both are also casualty carers and are shore crew.

At a presentation held at the end of the summer, Lord Erne presented 17 of the Carrybridge volunteers, including Chris and David, with the late Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal. The commemorative medal was created to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and awarded to those crew who had served more than five years with the charity.

Stephen Scott, lifeboat operations manager at Carrybridge RNLI praised Chris and David on the fantastic achievement. He said: “On behalf of the station at Carrybridge and on behalf of all the thousands of people rescued we would wish to congratulate the men on the outstanding commitment to volunteering.

"Chris and David carry a pager at all times and when the alarm goes off whether it be day or night, summer or winter both can be relied upon to respond to go to those in need. It was a privilege for the volunteers to also be presented with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal by Lord Erne and his wife.”