The Platinum Jubilee medal has been created to mark The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and has been awarded in recognition of the 65,886 lives the charity has saved during Her Majesty’s 70-year reign.

There are 21 volunteers who qualify for the medal and all have reached a minimum of five years’ service and collectively, have amassed 287 years of saving lives at sea between them.

Angus Campbell Esq, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset, presented 13 of the medals to the recipients at a special event hosted at the RNLI College on Sunday, 12 June.

For three of the volunteers, this will be their third jubilee medal each having already received the golden (awarded 2002) and diamond (2012) medals with Jon Clark volunteering for 39 years, Paul Taylor, 29, and Dave Riley, 25 – collectively serving 93 years between them.

RNLI chief executive Mark Dowie said: “I am delighted to see so many RNLI volunteers and staff being recognised by this prestigious award alongside other frontline members of the emergency services, prison services and the Armed Forces.

“The Platinum Jubilee medal follows a long history of awarding medals to mark Royal Jubilee celebrations, and this is the fourth medal under Her Majesty The Queen’s reign.

“My congratulations and thanks go to all the recipients and our thousands of other volunteers and staff who work tirelessly to deliver our essential lifesaving services in our mission to save every one.”

During The Queen’s 70-year reign Poole Lifeboats have launched 5,864 times, saved 666 lives and aided almost 5,000 people.