A volunteer at Teignmouth Lifeboat Station has received a top award from the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI).

Amy Furlong, who is the volunteer lifeboat press officer at Teignmouth, has received the RNLI Excellence in Volunteering Award for her commitment to strengthening Teignmouth Lifeboat Station’s communications and public engagement.

The RNLI Excellence in Volunteering Award is given to individuals who consistently go above and beyond their volunteer role and who demonstrate the RNLI’s core values of selflessness, courage, dependability and trustworthiness.

Since taking on her volunteer press officer role, Amy has championed the RNLI’s ‘One Crew’ ethos by bringing together separate Facebook pages for station operations and fundraising into a single platform and strengthening communication and public engagement. The unified page now reaches more than 7,800 followers, increasing awareness of the station’s lifesaving work through regular, engaging content. Amy has also developed strong working relationships across volunteer teams and with the local press, and regularly supports the organisation of both fundraising and volunteer events.

On presenting Amy with her award, Teignmouth RNLI fundraising chair Wendy Richards Wood described how her ‘positive, can-do attitude’ made her a valuable member of the team.

Lifeboat operations manager echoed Wendy’s sentiments and expressed his thanks, on behalf of everyone at the station, for the dedication and hard work Amy consistently gives.

‘I was completely shocked and quite taken aback to receive the award,’ Amy said. ‘I really do love my role at the station, and I’m very lucky to work alongside such a great and diverse team. It means a lot to be part of something like this.’

The award citation highlights how Amy’s contribution has helped support the RNLI’s mission to save lives at sea, reflecting the important role volunteers play behind the scenes at lifeboat stations across the UK.