DO’ing something different: John Reece

John volunteering on the Tall Ships Races in Sunderland

John Reece retired five years ago after working in optics for 46 years and has since immersed himself in volunteer work alongside skippering duties on board Juno.

John says: “I was a dispensing optician for a while after being a contact lens optician for the majority of my years in optics.

“In 2010, I spent a week of my annual holiday entitlement as a volunteer for the Tall Ships Races when they visited Hartlepool. I did the same again in 2018 after retirement when the Tall Ships visited Sunderland. I already have my name down for their visit in 2023 back in Hartlepool.”

John is also a trained skipper for Tees Wheelyboats, a specially adapted boat which enables wheelchair users to access the River Tees. He says: “It was there I gained my PBL2 certificate and VHF Radio licence.”

When John retired, he joined Rivershack as a skipper on a new venture, operating a leisure passenger boat on the Tees running between Stockton and Yarm.

He explains: “Living by the sea, I have always had an affinity with the local fishing fleet, building model boats and ships. When an opportunity to become a volunteer at the local Coastwatch station arose, I jumped at the chance to become a member – and have been a senior watchkeeper for nearly three years now.”

Recently, a volunteer job was advertised for a press officer for Redcar RNLI station.

John says: “I was shortlisted down to the final two and was pipped at the post by an actual journalist. However, the water safety officer wanted to retire, aged 82, so I was asked if I would like to join and take over the role.

“As I had written and conducted many in-house training sessions during my years in optics, I felt adequately prepared for the role. Now I’m learning the RNLI protocols before taking over and becoming part of the team.”

Summing up, John says: “I was determined not to ‘vegetate’ following retirement.”

He has certainly met that aim.