RNLI Liverpool Chair recognised in Queen’s New Year’s Honours

Sue Webster, an inspirational RNLI fundraiser, has been awarded an MBE in the Queens New Year’s Honour List thanks to her determination and dedication to saving lives at sea.

A determined fundraisers and inspiration to others, Sue along with her dedicated team have increased the fundraising branch’s income to saving lives at sea year on year. Her greatest achievement has been to establish a strong relationship between the RNLI and people within the City of Liverpool.

Having firmly established the Port of Liverpool Fundraising Branch in the minds of the city, the branch has flourished under her watchful eye and is beautifully representative of the diversity and enthusiastic nature of the Liverpudlian people. She’s established key relationships with stakeholders across the city including a near ten-year relationship with the Peel Group, a national investment enterprise, to fundraise across their multiple sites. She has also built support via her weekly phone-in to local radio to update the city of upcoming events and reaffirm the role of the RNLI in the wider Merseyside community.

Sue welcomes with open arms any and all who wish to get involved as a volunteer and is experienced in the art of discovering an individual’s skills offering them avenues in which to flourish. As a result, the branch is made up of people from all ages and backgrounds. Similarly, she relishes the opportunity to engage with a new and varied audience on any occasion and has done this recently by reaching out to the ever-growing LGBT community, annually supporting the Liverpool Pride parade and instigating the RNLI’s presence at the event from 2017.

Still in shock from hearing of the award, Sue said: ‘I became involved with the RNLI 12 years ago after I lost my dad who was a great supporter of the RNLI. I formed the Port of Liverpool Branch 10 years ago and we are a great team. We would like to thank the generous people of iverpool who have helped us achieve our best year to date. The award will be very special and will be for us all to celebrate.’

RNLI Chief Executive Paul Boissier said: “The RNLI depends on the tremendous courage, commitment and skill of its volunteers, staff and fundraisers – and those that have been named in this year’s New Year Honours truly exemplify those qualities. I am immensely proud of all our tireless staff and volunteers who received Honours this year – it is wonderful that these well-deserving people have been recognised in this way, we could not carry on our lifesaving work without them.”