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Many Happy returns to Mabel self MBE and RNLI life Governor on her 90th birthday

Mabel who has volunteered for the RNLI for over 40 years has been rewarded with the charity’s highest honour

Mabel Self, 89, became an Honorary Life Governor for the RNLI – their highest possible award, in a ceremony at London’s Barbican, in

recognition of her long and valuable service to the Holyhead and Trearddur Bay Ladies Lifeboat Guild.

She was also recognised for her work with the award of an MBE from the Queen in 1999.

Mabel, from Holyhead, has already received a silver, gold and gold bar RNLI award for her work, which started back in 1969.

A native of Glan Conwy, who trained as a nurse at Llandudno Hospital, mother of three Mabel who still does regular volunteer work for the

RNLI at their shop in Holyhead, Gwynedd Hospice at Home, and the WRVS, came to Holyhead in 1968 when her late husband, Cecil Self

became the bank manager for the National Provincial Bank in Holyhead, which later became NatWest.

At the time, the wives of bank managers were not supposed to work, so to fill her time she threw herself into local charity work.

In 1972 Mabel became Chairman of the Guild a position she held until recently when she became local guild branch president.

Mrs Self explained: “I was very nervous at the ceremony and also feel very humble to have received this award.

Great picture some crew wearing various life jackets old to latest on BBC filming SOS Day picture taken by Rob Formston Free lance photographer

The RNLI Holyhead each year offer a thank you to volunteers and their families by launching the lifeboat

and having a social gathering of friends and supporters, families and volunteers. The Severn class all

weather boat is launched on this one special day of the year, as it tours the Holyhead port to thank

supporters, and it takes part in the annual charity New Years Day Swim of Holyhead.

There were hot mince pies on the shore line, the Mayor of Holyhead being the donor, and plenty of sea

faring veterans attended both the Lifeboat 'thank you day' and the cold morning swim for charity, along

There was no shortage of good food on offer back at the RNLI boat house either, as Mabel, in her 90's,

prepared as she does each year a buffet fit for a King and Queen. Mabel runs the RNLI Lifeboat Shop with

her friend Daphne. I also met John Parry, a former Honorary Secretary of Holyhead Lifeboat, Alan Simms

of the Coastguard cliff and rescue service, and I spoke to onlooker Davy John who was the original First

I was invited to the event by Ray Steadman, a lifeboat crew member and publicity officer for Holyhead

Lifeboat who we'll hear from in the feature, and he introduced me to the second coxswain, Tony Price, who

crew and martin Sampson for organizing it ,will be a great help with winter weather thank you

Big thank you to the two guys Bob and Zack for you fundraising towards the rnli running costs it always humbles us here at holyhead lifeboat station to see what lengths people will go to to help us thanks again from the crew and committee at Holyhead

letter received from our friends at Llanfwrog sailing club big thank you from all the crew at

I am the outgoing Commodore for Llanfwrog sailing club. Unfortunately this year we had to cancel the annual dinner dance because we could not get enough people to attend. May be next year...

We take our fundraising support of the Holyhead lifeboat very seriously and I arranged a sponsored 10 mile unicycle on the site over the Bank holiday weekend. With myself , my daughters Claire and Heather with Ben Glynn (one of the teenagers in a Catamaran that needed rescue last year) riding. We were supported by a small army of helpers, and raised a very creditable £714 in about two hours. With £136 donations made by Club Members on the race days, I have the pleasure of informing you that we will be able to donate £850 this year.

ON BEHALF OF THE HOLYHEAD LIFEBOAT STATION COMMITTEE

THE ANNUAL AGM WILL BE

HELD AT THE LIFEBOAT STATION ON THE 18TH AUGUST 18-30 PM

‎27/28/29/ Aug This is the Old gaffers in Holyhead Sunday 28 is the lifeboat Station Open Day

with all sorts going on around the Station area

Relief Trent 14-24 Dora Foster McDougall lifeboat will be at Trearddur Bay Regatta date

confirmed SAT 13th August

August 14 is Cemaes RNLI Open Day Trent 14-24 Dora Foster McDougall will be on

the quay at Aprox 11 am for

the public to take a look over lifeboat

31 July at the Holyhead Festival holyhead lifeboat will hold a demo on the Sunday pm

congratulations to Mrs Mabel Self MBE from the crew and committee for receiving the charity’s

Mabel who has volunteered for the RNLI for over 40 years has been rewarded with the charity’s highest honour.

Mabel Self, 89, became an Honorary Life Governor for the RNLI – their highest possible award, in a ceremony at London’s Barbican, in recognition of her long and valuable service to the Holyhead and Trearddur Bay Ladies Lifeboat Guild.

She was also recognised for her work with the award of an MBE from the Queen in 1999.

Mabel, from Holyhead, has already received a silver, gold and gold bar RNLI award for her work, which started back in 1969.

A native of Glan Conwy, who trained as a nurse at Llandudno Hospital, mother of three Mabel who still does regular volunteer work for the RNLI at their shop in Holyhead, Gwynedd Hospice at Home, and the WRVS, came to Holyhead in 1968 when her late husband, Cecil Self became the bank manager for the National Provincial Bank in Holyhead, which later became NatWest.

At the time, the wives of bank managers were not supposed to work, so to fill her time she threw herself into local charity work.

In 1972 Mabel became Chairman of the Guild a position she held until recently when she became local guild branch president.

Mrs Self explained: “I was very nervous at the ceremony and also feel very humble to have received this award.

“I have always enjoyed doing the volunteer work as it means that you get out of the house and make new friends.

“I was at a function with a lady called Mrs Horspool who asked me to join the lifeboat ladies and that was it.

“We held regular coffee mornings and had cake stalls and sold souvenirs and eventually we managed to get a permanent shop in Holyhead lifeboat station.

Holyhead's Christopher's Pearce's little brother Llandudno's (Mersey) Andy Pearce drops in. The two lifeboats boats where last together for holyhead naming ceremony 5 years ago ,thanks to Ian station mechanic for the picture

BAE Systems Staff at RAF Valley handed over a cheque for £500 at the valley hotel to help the towns RNLI lifeboat This is not the first time our friends at BAE have given generously to the RNLI big thanks to all from the coxswain and crew