LAST year the Royal National Lifeboat Institution helped to rescue over 8,000 people and save 63 lives.

That's quite something.

When you hear the story of a young boy saved from drowning, because a crew of volunteers from Mude-ford managed to be at his side within 11 minutes of getting paged, it's hard to envisage exactly what's involved in a rescue.

RNLI volunteers are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a week, and on no pay. It sounds like a glamorous hobby. I can assure you it's not an undemanding one.

Having joined the Mudeford RNLI crew on their new Atlantic 85 RIB last week in force 9 gales and torrential rain, I got an insight into what's involved.

Being a volunteer doesn't just affect the crew, but their families too.

Mary Rhodes from Mudeford, whose husband Gerald, a GP and volunteer for the RNLI for over 20 years, explains: "Each time they get called out you can't help but wonder if this is the time that he won't be returning home again.

"You become part of it too. The whole family gets involved."

RNLI volunteers risk their lives, night and day, to help save people at sea.

On a calm day, when visibility is clear and the sun is out, working with the RNLI seems like fun. And the experiences make for great tales down the pub.

Take the story of the terrier dog that become disorientated and was found a quarter of a mile out to sea!

Or the story of the naked woman spotted running into the sea.

When the Mudeford RNLI crew turned up and asked a local fisherman if he'd seen anything unusual, he said: "No - oh, apart from a naked lady running into the sea of course."

She was later found safe and sound on the beach.

All this reflects the lighter side of the job. The reward comes in saving lives.

But there are times when it's a stressful "hobby" - like when the crew return with bad news, having spent over seven hours searching for lost divers.

When I joined the RNLI volunteers it was pitch black, freezing cold, the sea was angry and the rain was lashing down.

Pete Dadds, helmsman and local fisherman, showed me how to put on my thermals, dry suit and life vest, then handed me my gloves and my helmet.

Eleven minutes later and I was ready!

How these guys manage to answer a call, get to the station, get ready, launch the boat and be out on the water in the same time is amazing.

It was time to climb on board the new Atlantic 85 RIB, a beast of a boat that has all the latest gadgets including VHF direction-finding equipment and radar, and that sits quite happily on the water at 30 knots.

As we left Mudeford with crew-members Justin King, Justin O'Connell and Craig Richards, Pete took us through the capsizing drill.

Pete said: "You need to place your head as close to your feet as possible. Try and get your leg out of the well as quickly as you can because it can be tricky. Your head will be in an air pocket.

"Make your way to the front of the boat. Then one by one, reach under the boat, grab on to the line outside and make your way to the outside. When we're all out, make your way to the back where we will set off the canister and right the boat."

Excitement turned to nerves. Were we doing this drill for real?

It was pitch-black out there and the waves were going mad.

Pete laughed: "No, no, we won't do it on purpose, not tonight anyway. It just may happen because of the conditions."

As we headed out to sea, Pete skilfully steered the boat at great speeds.

The power of the waves flung the boat what seemed like six feet in the air, tipping it sideways. And almost every time it landed perfectly. I say almost because on the odd occasion, when the waves caught us out, we would bang back down on the sea, and feel the shudder run through our spines.

Pete is a great man to have at the helm. He can navigate the sea like a skilled lorry driver carrying out a three-point-turn in a country lane.

Twenty minutes later, and we returned to the station, windswept and happy.

What an experience!

Joining the Mudeford RNLI volunteers has made me appreciate not only the time involved in being a member, but the skill, strength and commitment needed.

It's also made me feel safe in the knowledge that - heaven forbid - should something ever go wrong while out at sea, I can rely on some amazing people.

  • For more information on becoming a volunteer visit rnli.co.uk.