Hi, my name is James and I’m a volunteer crew member at Withernsea RNLI.

The RNLI has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. As a crew member and through various roles at Withernsea RNLI, I’ve seen first-hand the incredible work the charity does. My dad, Steve Medcalf, served on the Withernsea lifeboat crew for many years. It wasn’t just something he did; it was who he was.

In December 2022, we tragically lost him following a fire at his home. His passing created a huge gap in our family and across the town. In the time afterwards, the support, love and stories shared by the community showed just how much he meant to so many.

My dad also came up with the idea for the Blue Light Weekend in Withernsea, an event that brings our emergency services and community together. What started as his vision has grown into one of the town’s biggest annual weekends, and it is now held in his memory every August. Seeing people come together each year to celebrate the services he cared so deeply about means more to us than words can say.

A month after losing him, I joined the RNLI. It felt right: a way to honour him, continue what he started, and understand more deeply the life he lived through his service. Since then, the RNLI has supported my family in incredible ways, both locally and nationally, and I will always be grateful.

On 2 January 2026, I was heavily involved in the tragic incident in Withernsea, where a 15-year-old girl was swept out to sea, followed by her mother and a local man who tried to save her. The scale of what happened and the heartbreak that followed has stayed with all of us. It is something the whole town is still trying to process. The grief hasn’t just been felt; it has been shared, and it has changed people. Being part of that rescue is something I will carry forever.

Now I’m running the London Marathon for my dad, for the RNLI, and for every person they’ve helped bring home.