VIDEO: Hundreds support May Day, May Day, protest

Monday 01 May 2017

Campaigners say the large number of Islanders who attended a public protest today on the Albert Pier is proof the lifeboat crew still has public support.

Three weeks ago when the UK’s RNLI dismissed the coxswain, Andy Hibbs, for allegedly breaking its rules, the rest of the crew resigned in protest. Since then the two parties have been at loggerheads.

Bank Holiday Monday’s ‘May Day, May Day’ protest was the second organised by former crew member Paul Battrick. Like the previous protest, hundreds of Islanders – many with placards – gathered outside the lifeboat station demanding the charity re-instate the coxswain.

Unlike the previous protest though the crew wasn’t there. That may have been because of a particularly awkward situation – the RNLI have flown in a UK crew to staff the boat and they were there as part of the Barclays Jersey Boat Show. The RNLI’s charity shop  - which is based in the station - was also open. There have been calls from some quarters to stop fundraising for the charity.

Mr Battrick updated campaigners on what had happened saying, three weeks on, there seemed to be little movement. Although Mr Hibbs' appeal has been lodged, he said there was no indication of when there’d be an outcome. Using a megaphone to address the crowd Mr Battrick went on to say: “...your continued support does not go unnoticed and the crew are overwhelmed by the level of support they have been shown in these last weeks."

And he made it clear the local crew had no disagreement with the visiting crew:  “...we should pay thanks to the visiting crew who have been sent here to man our lifeboat. It is not their fault that they have been put in this position… we must appreciate and thank them for their continued efforts… I am sure that they have been put in a position they do not want to be in."

He also read extracts from a letter written by Kim Noble, whose daughter, Joy Godfray, the crew unsuccessfully tried to rescue when she was swept out to sea in horrendous conditions in August last year: “...our Jersey crew know the waters, know the sea and know what they are doing. They ploughed through the dark rough waves in search of my daughter.  These incredibly brave men brought my daughter home for burial. The rib that had had Joy’s lifeless body on board came back to harbour with the lifeboat alongside. It was impossible for them to bring her home any other way. They did it in such dangerous conditions, with only the lights of the boat and flares that went up. Their kindness and heroic bravery did not end there. They attended Joy’s funeral and gave tremendous support to both myself and my family. I am now proud to consider them friends."