A lifeboat coxswain and his partner have attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace.
James Baggott, of Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service (GAFIRS), was invited along with his partner Rebecca in recognition of his years of voluntary service.
The garden party was hosted by King Charles III and attended by other members of the royal family, including Prince Edward.
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Mr Baggott said: "It was an absolute pleasure to attend the palace, see the King, and chat with Prince Edward.
"It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience for both myself and my partner Rebecca."
In 2025, he surpassed 500 emergency callouts with GAFIRS, joining an exclusive group of volunteers, including Mike Allen and Brian Pack, who have reached the same milestone.
GAFIRS community director Darren Taylor-Lane said: "It’s fantastic to see James’s commitment and personal sacrifice recognised, as well as that of his partner Becca, who is so often left holding the fort when James is called away.
"The same can be said for the partners of all our crew and volunteers.
"This is a very special way to acknowledge everything they both do."
GAFIRS, based at Stokes Bay, is an independent lifeboat and inshore rescue charity, founded in 1969, that covers the Eastern Solent and Portsmouth Harbour.
Operating as a declared facility for the UK Coastguard, GAFIRS volunteers are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, responding to an average of 100 incidents annually.
Callouts range from towing stricken vessels away from danger to providing life-saving first aid to critically injured casualties.
GAFIRS members commit hundreds of hours each per year in order to maintain the service.
In addition to rescue operations, the charity provides a wide range of services to the community including delivering safety presentations to water sports clubs, accident prevention and beach safety events at schools, to promotions at local fairs and fetes, the amazing 999 emergency services day.
GAFIRS is a registered charity in England and is managed entirely by volunteers through an elected committee and honorary roles.
