STUART ADAMS celebrates 25 years as a coxwain (of the Dungeness lifeboat). He joined the crew in 1977 (45 years ago) at the age of 17, when a fishermen at Dungeness.
In 1997 he was voted coxwain – as was the procedure in those days – and then took the lead with crew training and management.
Stuart has never seen his coxwainship as a job but a way of life. He is passionate and protective about his volunteers and loves to see them succeed in their endeavours.
In recent times Stuart’s two children have joined the crew. Natalie, who works as an Assessor Trainer on the (River) Thames and a volunteer navigator at Dungeness – and Jason, who has newly qualitied as a coxwain himself – treading in his father’s footsteps.
As children of the coxwain, you might expect that they had an easy ride to the top, but Stewart enjoyed nothing more than watching his children start at the bottom and literally ‘learn the ropes’.
Vicky Morgan, lifeboat operations manager, says ‘Stuart is the pillar of our station, providing strong leadership to our volunteers and is the epitome of professionalism. The commitment ha has shown over the past 25 years is extraordinary and we couldn’t ask for a better coxwain.
Stuart has huge respect from the volunteers at the station and a respect that is truly deserved