Dominic Gregory brings to life the reality of volunteering with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution at Dungeness, one of Britain’s most remote and demanding stretches of coast. For over two centuries, crews here have launched into storms and darkness to reach vessels of every kind, guided by experience, instinct and trust in one another. Dominic tells Olivia Chapman what it’s like behind the scenes: the tension before the alarm, the discipline of training, the split-second decisions that can mean life or death and the quiet camaraderie that binds the crew together. At the heart of his story are the ordinary men and women doing an extraordinary thing – launching into danger, navigating treacherous seas and answering the call when lives depend on it. There will be a book signing after this event. Get ahead of your Festival reading and visit the Waterstones Cheltenham Literature Festival bookshop and support Cheltenham Festivals with every purchase.

Description supplied by the event organiser.