Yarmouth RNLI to feature in ‘Saving Lives at Sea’ on BBC2
The next episode in the second series of BBC2’s documentary on the RNLI, which airs at 8pm on Tuesday 26th September, will include footage of the Yarmouth lifeboat in action and interviews with the Coxswain and members of the volunteer crew.
Tuesday night’s episode will include film footage of two rescues carried out by the Yarmouth lifeboat in the western Solent last year - a man overboard incident during the Round the Island Race and a yacht grounded on the notorious Shingles Bank in violent seas.
Yarmouth is one of three RNLI lifeboat stations on the Island, the others being Cowes and Bembridge, and one of thirty-nine on the coast of South East England. The station is served by a full-time coxswain and mechanic, with a pool of twenty-two local volunteers on the crew. Last year, Yarmouth’s Severn class lifeboat, the largest in the RNLI fleet, was requested to launch by the UK Coastguard on forty-two occasions, rescuing a total of ninety-one people. This year’s figures, as they stand, will be very similar, maintaining the yearly average of forty-one shouts and eighty people rescued over the last five years.
The local West Wight community helps to keep the Yarmouth lifeboat afloat through donations and voluntary work, such as assisting with fundraising events, lifeboat tours and the RNLI shop. If you're interested in joining this friendly band of volunteers, the shop is looking for help with weekend duties. Retail experience would be helpful but training will be given; please call on 761345 for more information.
Don’t forget to tune in to BBC2 on Tuesday 26th September at 8pm!
RNLI media contacts
- Claire Hallett, Yarmouth RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer 07814 900398
- Richard Heming, Yarmouth RNLI Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer 07810 371233
- Tim Ash, RNLI Public Relations Manager (London/East/South East) 0207 6207426 / 07785 296252 / or Paul Dunt, RNLI Press Officer (London/East/South East) 0207 6207416 / 07866 668825
- For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789
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
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
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.