by John Prince
Professional singer and performer Natalie Clydesdale might be better known for her powerhouse performances and show-stealing vocals with Hornsea Amateur Theatre Society (HATS) – but she’s also a member of the lifeboat crew that has been involved in some of our region’s most high-profile search and rescue operations.
Natalie, who also goes by the stage name Natalie Rivers, is raising money for RNLI Bridlington where she is part of a team of about 40 volunteers who help keep people safe on our coast.
Next month she’s running in the Great North Run half-marathon from South Shields to Newcastle with two other crew members to raise £1,000 for the charity.
As well as training for the challenge, she also juggles performing, working in a bar and being on-call for the lifeboat whenever she’s needed.
At 27, she is one of the youngest at RNLI Bridlington where she’s been since 2023.
Since then she has been an integral part of the RNLI crew and took part in the multi-agency search operations in both Withernsea and Hornsea, which tragically resulted in four people losing their lives.
She serves onboard the Shannon-class all-weather lifeboat Antony Patrick Jones, which is capable of reaching 250 nautical miles out to sea, as well as the D-class inshore lifeboat.
Just recently she has returned from a weeklong training programme at the RNLI College in Poole in Dorset, which also builds the charity’s vessels.
Natalie said: “I’m putting the miles in. There are two other crew members doing it with me from the station, so we’re all in it together. They’ll probably overtake me as I’ve got a bit of a knee injury, but it’s fine.
“Training was good until the injury. But on the day when there are people cheering and you know what you’re doing it for, that’ll carry you forward.
“It’s the actual physical challenge that’ll motivate me more. Our fundraising team are great and they do a lot for us. It’s nice that we as crew get involved in the fundraising, so that we are one crew instead of it being a fundraising team and an operational crew. It’s bringing the two together.”
RNLI Bridlington is one of three main lifeboats that cover the Holderness coast, including Withernsea and Humber Rescue. They work very closely with Hornsea Inshore Rescue, which itself is a charity.
Further north, there are also RNLI lifeboats stationed at Flamborough, Filey, Scarborough and Whitby.
Natalie said: “There have been some sad outcomes this year. We don’t always get the outcome we want. A lot of times we do.
“When the pager goes, you don’t know what you’re going to until you get down to the station to get more information.
“So you’re sitting at home having a cup of tea or you’re out with your friends and then it goes, your brain immediately goes ‘oh, got to go’ like it’s almost a knee-jerk reaction.
“It’s very adrenaline fuelled, very much anticipation. You come down to the station and it’s a focus on what you’re doing. Everything else is blocked out.
“Your training kicks in, and you train really hard for it. Everything you’ve learned all of a sudden just comes to you, and everyone is one crew even if you’re on shore and you’re not actually on the boat for the tasking.
“We are obviously sea-based, but we’re shore-based casualty care as well. We’ve got lifeguards on the beach who are part of the RNLI. They’re ours.
“The Coastguard is an emergency service and multi-agency so it is rolled in with police and ambulance.
“Where someone’s in peril at sea or boats need assistance, they call into the Coastguard and then they’ll task us if they see the situation fits for the lifeboat. We call that a ‘shout’.”
Natalie highlighted that many people, particularly younger generations, are unaware that the RNLI is a charity and not government-funded so relies entirely on public donations to continue its vital life-saving services.
She touched upon the recent high-profile incidents that resulted in such tragic outcomes, underscoring the importance of water safety education and outlining the “Float to Live” technique – lying back in the water with ears submerged – as a critical self-rescue skill.
Natalie said that the RNLI welcomes people from all walks of life, and volunteering offers a chance to be part of a passionate and supportive community with a respected national organisation. It can also be a valuable addition to a CV.
She added: “My day job is a singer. I was working on a holiday park nearby at the time, and we were in partnership fundraising for the RNLI. I came down for a few of the events and saw what they were doing, and I really liked it.
“At the time, I had a lot of free time midweek when I left the holiday parks so I thought might as well do something meaningful with my time. All the crew were really nice and welcoming, and I just got stuck in.”
Opportunities with the RNLI are available from the age of 18, with programmes like the Duke of Edinburgh Award giving younger people a chance to get involved in shore-based activities.
To donate to Natalie’s run go to fundraise.rnli.org/fundraisers/natalieclydesdale.
Keep an eye out on the HATS social media pages for their next performances.
To get information about the RNLI and to volunteer, go to volunteer.rnli.org/opportunities.