PORTISHEAD'S RNLI has appointed a new safety officer to continue saving lives at sea. 

Former shore crew member Bernd Langheim has now taken the important Water Safety Adviser role to educate the wider community.

The RNLI has taken steps to help prevent coastal casualties by producing community events and workshops to educate people on the dangers of water.

The national volunteer crew is on stand-by twenty-four seven and has currently saved more than 100,000 people across the country since it was first established in 1824.

Mr Langheim moved to Portishead from Germany where he was involved in the equivalent organization to the RNLI for more than 30 years.

He has now designed and implemented a 'lifesaving plan' to identify at-risk groups so that fatalities and serious incidents are reduced.  

The latest of these was a comprehensive presentation including a lifejacket talk to the Clevedon Canoe Club that took place at the lifeboat station.

The next presentation will take place on Friday, November 4, at 6.30pm in the station. It will include a comprehensive lifejacket and water safety talk and is free to attend. 

To book your place or if your organization is interested in a water safety presentation, contact Bernd by email on bernd_langheim@rnli.org.uk.

In 2015, Portishead RNLI moved into a new purpose-built station and is one of the newest in the UK and Ireland. 

An Atlantic B-class and 85-inshore lifeboat is housed there too. 

It previously operated as an independent rescue service for 20 years from Sugar Loaf Beach.