RNLI chairman Allan to step down after more than three decades

Allan Williams, the Lytham St Annes RNLI Lifeboat management group chairman, will step down from the role after close to four decades of voluntary work for the sea charity.

He will now act as president, after being invited into the role by the RNLI group’s members.

David Forshaw, of Lytham St Annes RNLI said: “At the end of the July meeting of the Lifeboat Management Group, the chairman, Allan Williams, announced his retirement from the voluntary role he had held for 31 years.

“As a prominent local business man running the family owned garages in Henry Street and Kingsway, he was asked to join the Lifeboat Committee in 1977 to help to manage and oversee the working of the Station. Two years later he was appointed vice-chairman and five years after that, in 1984, he was appointed chairman, a role which he has performed with great skill and dedication over the years.

“As a result of Allan’s retirement, vice-chairman Richard Freeman was asked to take over as chairman by the group which he duly accepted.

“To Allan’s great surprise, the group members then immediately asked him to accept the role of branch president so he will still be actively involved with the lifeboat station he has served so faithfully for 38 years already.

“As usual Allan was down at the boathouse helping at the annual RNLI family fun day later in the month.”

A keen sailor, Allan has been a member of the Ribble Cruising Club for more than 50 years while in the 1980s he was vice-chairman then chairman of the Lytham St Annes Sea Cadet Unit for close to a decade.

Allan’s long commitment to these three sailing activities led to recognition by the Royal Yachting Association who awarded him their Community Lifetime Award. He was presented the award by the Princess Anne.