Mark is the coxwain of the RNLI's Hastings Life Boat.
Mark works for one the UK's larger high street banks and volunteers for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. He had no expereince of being afloat, except the Dover to Callais ferry, and started out as volunteer ground crew but as he gained experience progressed to being a boatcrew member. He became the coxwain (pronounced coxxun) in of a modern Shannon a 13 metre, mainly fibre glass and composite, boat.
Mark was visiting to raise funds and tell us his role in the rescue of a windsurfer who went out in Storm Ciara and got into difficulties. The windsurfer walked ashore, non-plussed and unscathed. He was apparantly surprised the lifeboat went out in such bad weather and sent the crew a note.
Mark is a one of many voulunteers to give up time and risk life and limb to rescue people at sea and inland waters. To see the conditions the boat, called The Richard and Caroline Colton, was launched in I've given a link
This link was shared to YouTube and Twitter whilst they were out at sea in gruelling, horrowing conditions, giving the families and other crews unneccesary concerns. As a result there is now a system in place to keep families more formally informed, as social media shares uninformed drama.
If you want to get more details Google YouTube, Storm Ciara+Hastings Lifeboat, there's footage of the conditions while they were afloat, and at risk of sinking, all to rescue a surfer who thought going out in a hurricane would be fun!.
Nice photo of Mark. Good on him for being so selfless.