Barmouth RNLI is celebrating the long service of three crew members as they hang up their pagers.

The end of October saw the RNLI station say farewell and thank you to David Baily, Steve Hassan and Bill Whitehead, three of their long serving volunteer crew members.

Family members, fellow crew and fundraisers gathered at Barmouth Boathouse to celebrate the contribution the trio have made over their many years as volunteers for the service.

Coxswain Pete Davies surprised the men, who thought the gathering was to thank Barmouth volunteers and their families for all the additional hours of training undertaken since the All Weather lifeboat Ella Larsen arrived in March. However, it was a celebration of the contribution they had all made to participating in such a successful team over the years.

David Baily, who retired as lifeboat operations manager (LOM), was previously a deputy launching authority and deputy lifeboat training co-ordinator.

It was he who led the inception of a Shannon Class ALB at the Barmouth lifeboat station. He has nine years of service.

Dr Steve Hassan, ALB/ILB crew member, ALB coxswain, lifeboat medical adviser and divisional trainer, has been instrumental in training other crew members. Dr Hassan has 36 years of service.

Dr Bill Whitehead, ALB crew member and lifeboat medical advisor, who helped develop the medical training at sea for the crew, has 25 years’ service.

Coxswain Pete Davies gave a vote of thanks for each crew member as certificates and gifts were presented by incoming LOM Mark James.

He finished by inviting up the trio’s wives, saying: “Behind every good man is an even better lady.”

Flowers and thanks were given to them also.