RNLI fundraiser Peter Elmont recognised in New Year’s Honours List

Peter Elmont has been chairman of the Weston-super-Mare fundraising branch of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) since 2011, having been a member for more than a decade before that.

A statement from the RNLI says: "Peter is always encouraging old and new members of his committee to do more and valuable things.

"He is a role model continually motivating others.

"During last year’s Remembrance Day service at the war memorial, when the coastguard attendees had to rush off to answer a call, he had such respect in the town that he was asked to lay their wreath for them."

Elmont, who received a Cabinet Office Point of Light award in 2019, works tirelessly to raise funds alongside his wife Bridget, running the RNLI shop at the Cove and working closely with the Weston RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew.

COMMITTED Peter Elmont with his wife Bridget

As part of the Station Appeal, Elmont was set a target of raising £300,000 in three years.

He achieved that in two years, and has now raised more than £1 million towards the cost of a new station.

Elmont is to be presented with his medal by the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, and will then be invited to a Royal Garden Party when circumstances allow.

He becomes the second member of the team at Weston to be honoured, with Richard Spindler having been awarded an MBE in 2016.

HONOURS: Peter Elmont alongside Richard Spindler

Don Sutherland, chairman of Weston RNLI Lifeboat Management Group, commented: "Peter is a source of inspiration to us all.

"He knows everybody, works all hours and is one of the reasons Weston RNLI is in such good health.

"He thoroughly deserves this honour."