Larne RNLI rub shoulders with royalty at Hillsborough Castle
Two couples who volunteer with Larne RNLI were chosen to represent the County Antrim lifeboat station and attend the recent Hillsborough Garden Party where HRH Prince Harry was special guest.
Volunteer lifeboat crew and married couple Fiona and Barry Kirkpatrick attended the event with another married lifeboat station couple, Deputy Lifeboat Launching Authority Phil Ford-Hutchinson and his fundraiser wife Alison. While in attendance the two couples met with Prince Harry and discussed the busy lifeboat station and its work in the community.
The group were presented to HRH Prince Harry by the Deputy Lieutenant of County Antrim Col Neil Salisbury OBE.
Commenting on the event, Larne RNLI crewmember Fiona Kirkpatrick said, ‘We were honoured to be asked to represent our lifeboat station and
we met some incredible people at the event. We were introduced to
HRH Prince Harry and of course took the opportunity to discuss our station and the work of our volunteer lifeboat crew and fundraisers in Larne.’
‘The Prince was interested to know how many volunteers we had at our station and commented on how voluntary groups like the RNLI require a lot of hard work and commitment from a team.'
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.