RNLI crew on call 24/7 whatever the weather

Saving lives at sea – the guiding principle of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) – has become a way of life for County Down man Brendan Rooney.

For more than 30 years he has been at the heart of Newcastle RNLI, serving as a volunteer crew member in a variety of roles.

He is a finalist in the BBC’s Make A Difference Awards 2025.

“When the pager goes, day or night, 24/7, 365 days of the year we’re there,” he told BBC News NI.

One of his proudest moments was receiving a special recognition for saving five fishermen who fell off the rocks near Maggie’s Leap outside Newcastle.

“Sometimes when you’re on the boat and you’re in the middle of it, you say to yourself, ‘what am I doing here?’,” he said.

“Anybody who says they don’t get scared or nervous they’re maybe telling a fib or haven’t seen a bad day.”

But for him, the sense of achievement he gets through his volunteer work far out ways any disadvantages.

“The buzz for me, the satisfaction is, if there is somebody in difficulty at sea, knowing that you’re going out to bring them back safely,” he said.

“Whenever the pager goes or we get a call that is our main priority, regardless of what the weather is.

“It could be flat, it could be stormy. You don’t think of that, you just arrive at the station, you get your gear on and you get into the boat.”

The Volunteer Award will recognise an individual who makes a notable difference to their community by giving their time voluntarily to help others.

Having always wanted to be a part of Newcastle lifeboat crew, Brendan said he was “pretty humbled” to receive his nomination.

“For me, it’s for everybody in the station, especially on the 200th anniversary of Newcastle lifeboat it would be brilliant to get,” he added.

Mr Rooney is one of four finalists in the Volunteer Award category, along with:

• Lucy McMullan: She has run the Caledon Open Door Club for 39 years. The club provides weekly activities, entertainment and outings for elderly and adults with disabilities.

• Chris Campbell: Founded Fandom in 2015 to support autistic young adults through shared interests in gaming. The group now runs four nights a week with more than 80 members.

• Marie O’Brien: The founder and co-ordinator of The Happiness Cafes Kilkeel, a dementia support group. She secures grants to fund weekly meals, arts and crafts, music and other activities for about 40 members.

Make a Difference is a BBC initiative seeking to recognise and celebrate members of the public who make life better for others where they live.

Since February, BBC teams from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been asking audiences to nominate the unsung heroes in their local communities who do amazing things.

Finalists have been selected by a panel of judges in each of the eight categories ahead of the Northern Ireland final in September.

The categories are:

• The Volunteer Awards
• The Young Hero Award
• The Great Neighbour Award
• The Active Award
• The Animal Award
• The Green Award
• The Fundraiser Award
• The Community Group Award

Overall winners from each category will be announced live on BBC Radio Ulster’s Vinny and Cate show on Friday 26 September.