A FORMER chairman of Solihull’s Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has been recognised in the New Year Honours.
Clive Buckley has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for his work in founding and chairing the Solihull RNLI fundraising branch.
Clive’s association with the lifesaving charity first began in 1982 when he became a supporting member.
And four years later, he wrote to the RNLI suggesting there should be a fundraising appeal in his hometown of Solihull.
The charity agreed, asked Clive to be chairman, and in just two years, the group raised £41,000 to fund a new lifeboat for Abersoch in Wales.
In 1989 he became secretary of the Fundraising Branch, taking over as chairman in 2008.
In that time, the branch has raised nearly £400,000, £180,000 of which was during his time as chairman.
Clive said: “When I received the letter informing me I was being recommended for the BEM, I thought I was in a dream from which I would shortly awake.
“I feel incredibly honoured to be recognised and I would like to thank my fellow committee members for their unstinting support. It has made the rain-soaked fundraising days and standing on windswept railway stations, clutching a bucket, all worthwhile and it has all been a great pleasure.”
The charity closed in late 2024 after 35 years in the borough.
At the time Clive said age and health issues of the committee, coupled with dwindling numbers of people able to collect and a reducing number of venues willing to allow collections to take place on their premises, meant that closure was inevitable.
Clive was named along side four other volunteers for honours in The King’s list.
Peter Sparkes, RNLI chief executive, said: WMy sincere congratulations to these five worthy volunteers and their families; we are very aware they wouldn’t be able to do what they do for the RNLI without the support of their families and friends whose lives are often disrupted when our volunteers answer the call for help.
“Our fundraising volunteers work tirelessly to raise the vital funds to deliver our lifesaving services. It is especially pleasing to see two of our inland fundraising volunteers recognised, both who have given decades to the RNLI, raising thousands of pounds.”
