Torbay lifeboat hero Barney retires after life-saving career

Torbay lifeboat veteran Ian 'Barney' Barnaby has retired as an an operational crew member and navigator for the Brixham station after an award-winning and life-saving career.

He has had an illustrious career within the RNLI, serving as a volunteer not only at the Torbay Lifeboat for the last 11 years, but also at Tower Lifeboat Station starting as one of the first full-time helms when the RNLI established a lifeboat service on the river Thames in 2002.

As a helm at Tower Lifeboat and volunteer crew member and navigator for Torbay RNLI, Barney has attended over 500 shouts, aided over 250 people and saved 14 lives during his 22 years of operational service.

His contribution to the wider RNLI and Brixham community has also left a significant mark.

Barney, 65, was the driving force behind the Kilimanjaro Challenge, a series of six challenges between May 2022 and February 2023, with the aim of raising as much money as possible for Torbay RNLI.

Engaging with the local community and businesses, Barney led the team, not only to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in February, but to raising a total of £105,000, which will fund and equip the new D-class lifeboat for Torbay RNLI.

Last year Barney was awarded the British Empire Medal ‘for services to maritime safety’ in His Majesty’s New Year Honours and invested with the award by the Lord Lieutenant of Devon on May 2, 2024, at Exeter Guildhall.

Barney tentatively looks forward to his retirement from operational service. He says: “Strangely I will miss being abruptly woken by the pager in the middle of the night, and I will also miss being on the lifeboat in all weathers answering the challenges involved on shouts with colleagues and friends.

"However, what I will miss most is the incredible camaraderie that comes with being part of a lifeboat crew. It’s all gone by far too quickly, but I leave with many, many happy and profound memories.”

Barney doesn’t shake off the station and RNLI quite so easily. He still continues in his capacity as Chair of RNLI Torbay’s Lifeboat Management Group.