It's all change at Hastings RNLI this week when Steve Warne takes over as full-time coxswain of the town's lifeboat.

Martin Phillips, 35, stood down and handed over command of the boat after more than six years following promotion within the RNLI. Martin will now become a training assessor for the Institution's Eastern Division. He along with three others will oversee the training of volunteer lifeboat men and women across 43 lifeboat stations, stretching from Hunstanton in Norfolk to Lymington in Hampshire. Martin's looking forward to his new role within the RNLI: 'I'll miss being based full-time in Hastings, but this is a new challenge for me, with lots of different stations, boats and people.' Martin will not disappear completely from Hastings however, he'll still be involved with the lifeboat in a volunteer role, as a deputy second coxswain.


Martin's departure means that Steve Warne, 40, will take over the helm as the new coxswain. Steve, who is married with two children, was born in Fernbank, Hastings. He will take over after eleven years as a volunteer on the town's lifeboat, during which time he has trained as a helmsman on the inshore lifeboat, a mechanic on the all-weather boat, and served as a deputy coxswain.

Steve will now leave his job as a highways inspector for East Sussex Council to devote himself fully to lifeboat work, but has no regrets: "I've always enjoyed being on the crew of the lifeboat, and helping to save the lives of those in trouble at sea. I've now been given the chance to make a career out of something I've enjoyed doing for so long. I feel that I'm really fortunate

Although it's a bit daunting, I'm really looking forward to the challenges of the new job.'