RNLI Heritage and history news

Great news for Appledore RNLI

Niki Tait

Appledore RNLI is due to get a new inshore lifeboat during the summer. After around 25 years of unstinting service from the George Gibson, the Tyne Class all-weather lifeboat, in 2010 Appledore was very fortunate to receive its new state of the art Tamar class all-weather lifeboat, made possible from legacies left by many people, particularly that from Mollie Hunt...

Two SOS's sent out by Appledore RNLI

Niki Tait

Appledore RNLI is sending out two distinct SOS’s of their own this week.
The first is an invitation to join them on SOS day, the RNLI national major fundraising day...

Cheltenham to host unique play detailing the history of the RNLI

Tamsin Thomas

An extraordinary play about the history of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) written by Gloucestershire resident, Alan Tyson is to be performed at Cheltenham’s award winning Parabola Arts Centre for two days in March, including a matinee and two evening perfomances. Described as a live performance docudrama, Out of the Mist explores the humour, sadness, triumph and disaster that RNLI volunteers have experienced over the last 188 years...

Tragedy inspires help for Eastbourne's new lifeboat appeal

Bob Jeffery

Tragedy hit a local family in 1982 when 13 year old Simon Staples and his step father were swept out to sea by huge waves whilst checking the sea defences at their house in Hartfield road on Cooden Beach during a severe gale. Donald Adams was dragged ashore but Simon drowned despite the best efforts of the volunteers aboard Eastbourne lifeboat, local Coastguard officers and an RAF helicopter...

Latest technology brings Happy New Gear at Loch Ness

Martin Douglas

Latest lifejacket a hit with crew.
The latest investment in technology and design has brought an innovative new lifejacket to the volunteer crew at Loch Ness RNLI as part of a roll out programme that will see every RNLI station supplied with a piece of equipment that is better suited to the the demanding rescue environment...

Long service award for Eastbourne lifeboat shorehelper

Bob Jeffery

Dick Guy, senior member of Eastbourne lifeboat’s shore based team, has been presented with a bar to add to his existing long service badge to commemorate nearly 40 years continuous voluntary service which spans three generations of lifeboats in the town.
Dick, who works for local firm Alfa Laval, volunteered to join Eastbourne RNLI’s lifeboat crew in 1974 and followed in the footsteps of his father who served in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s...

Commemorative New Year's Day walk at Horton and Port Eynon

Richard Davies

Supporters of Horton and Port Eynon Lifeboat Station took part in a commemorative walk on New Year’s Day in memory of three brave lifeboatmen who lost their lives on 1 January 1916.
Tragedy struck when the Port Eynon lifeboat Janet capsized twice during a call to the SS Dunvegan which had run aground near Pennard cliffs in 90 MPH winds...

Two great charities come together

Daniel Ashton

On December 2nd December 2011 two volunteer RNLI crew members were setting sail from Southampton onboard the tall ship Lord Nelson. The births had been made available by the ships owners The Jubilee Sailing Trust who had invited RNLI crew members from Salcombe and Spurn Head to take part in the first leg of the delivery passage from Southampton to Lisbon...

Free entry to RNLI Grace Darling Museum from January 2012

Alison Levett

The RNLI Grace Darling Museum in Bamburgh will remove its entry charge from January 2012.
The decision to offer free entry to visitors was made by the RNLI Heritage Trust to allow open access to all who wish to find out more about the iconic rescue and the wider work of the RNLI today...

New manager arrives at RNLI Grace Darling Museum

Alison Levett

The RNLI Grace Darling Museum has welcomed a new manager, Virginia Mayes-Wright.
Virginia Mayes-Wright has moved to the Bamburgh attraction after running the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire...