Dave Williams continued a family tradition stretching back over 100 years when he joined Pwllheli RNLI as volunteer lifeboat crew in 2017, and just six years later he has passed out as a D-class helm on the inshore lifeboat.

“I used to look out of the window at work and see the lifeboat going out on a shout or an exercise and I would think ‘I’d love to do that’, not knowing my family had been RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew,” Dave explained.

His family links with the charity stretch back to Pwllheli’s very first lifeboat.

“My great-great-great-grandfather, Ellis Wright, was made 2nd coxswain in 1891 and served for 14 years,” said Dave.

“His son, Evan Wright, became 2nd coxswain when Ellis retired and was promoted to coxswain around 1912 serving until 1937.

“Evan featured on the front cover of the RNLI Lifeboat magazine in June 1936. He was on my grandmother’s side of the family.”

The family’s dedication to the RNLI doesn’t end there. There were key crew members on Dave’s grandfather’s side as well, with his great-great-grandfather, Thomas Green, serving as bowman alongside Evan. He also retired in 1937 but his grandson, Brian, passed out as coxswain a few years later.

“Another family member, Richard Wright, was shore crew, while Coxswain Bob Wright was a third cousin,” said Dave.

“And, it wasn’t until I applied to join that I found out my father was also an RNLI volunteer in the 90s and was a D-class helm too. It was a real surprise because he had never talked about it!”

Dave’s journey to passing out as D-class helm on the inshore lifeboat started a year-and-a-half ago, soon after the arrival of the Shannon lifeboat at the new lifeboat station in Pwllheli.

“The Fleet Staff Coxswain asked me if I wanted to be a D-class helm,” said Dave.

“I had always liked the idea of being in more of a command role and giving myself something to work towards so I said yes.

“The hardest part was learning to command the crew, especially telling more experienced helms on the boat what to do. But now I’m looking forward to my first shout.

Pwllheli RNLI lifeboat operations manager, Andy Vowell, said: “Dave is a valued member of the team here at Pwllheli, and we are all thrilled he has completed all his training and passed out as a helm on our inshore lifeboat.

“His accomplishment is down to a lot of hard work on his part with the assistance of the team here at Pwllheli. Llongyfarchiadau Dave.”