Join the RNLI Torbay Team for a fantastic Seaside Special day full of events!
It’s just one week until a fantastic day packed with events for Torbay’s RNLI supporters; a series of great events are now underway for Lifeboat Week which will culminate in the fabulous Seaside Special Day on Sunday 12 August.
Flag Week collections are now underway,and the RNLI Torbay team will be offering Lifeboat Tours each morning from Sunday 5 – Friday 10 August. Annual favourites ‘Walk the Extra Mile’ (including a prize draw) and ‘Cover the Flag’ return from Monday 6 August, kicking off a full week of fun and entertainment including a Coffee Morning at Rockfish Brixham, a Quiz Night at the Old Coaching Inn (Fore St) and children’s face-painting with Stormy Stan in Brixham town centre.
This year there will be an additional event hosted by Torbay Lifeboat Fundraisers, offering a Proms event at the luxurious Berry Head Hotel on Sunday 5 August when the Britannia Royal Naval College volunteer band will be joined by soprano Kate Walker in the hotel’s beautiful Mulberry Garden.
Then, on Sunday 12 August, residents and visitors to Brixham will be treated to a full day of wonderful activities for this year’s RNLI Torbay Lifeboat Seaside Special:
The day’s festivities kick off with the annual Two Lighthouse Run, with competitors leaving from Torbay Lifeboat station to run the half mile along Brixham Breakwater to Brixham lighthouse, then up to the stunning Berry Head country park lighthouse before returning to Torbay lifeboat station. Prizes will be awarded for the fastest female, male and teenager, with everyone taking part receiving a medal and the offer of a personalised photo taken on board the RNLI Torbay all-weather lifeboat – online registration for the run is open now.
Next, a full programme of activities gets underway including lifeboat tours, coastal safety advice, the Paddle Grand Prix (involving paddle boards and kayaks, and compered again this year by the hilarious Adrian Byng of pig racing fame), Ron’s scrumptious BBQ, a licensed bar and the WAG’s Tea Room, visiting classic lifeboats, a Water Ball Challenge (Zorbing), the chance to try canoeing with Ibex Canoe Club and numerous water-based displays including Water Flyboard and Jet Skis.
The Search and Rescue demonstration will be especially exciting, as it’s anticipated that both the RNLI Torbay all-weather and inshore lifeboats - together with Teignmouth’s S-Class lifeboat The Two Annes - will be joined by a Leonardo AW139 Search & Rescue Coastguard helicopter from St Athan in Wales this year*.
From 11.30am the Seaside Special Sound Stage gets underway, with an eclectic line-up including shanty side Missin’ Tackle, local duo Allsorts, rock and pop covers bands The Dukes, Cargo and Unhooked and Brighton-based indie/rock originals band Luna Blue (who featured on BBC Introducing Live Lounge in July) and headline band RAGE rounding off the evening in style. Displays of Zumba, Yoga and Bollywood Dancing will be keeping the crowd entertained between music sets.
Local radio station Breeze FM will be on site all day with a live outside broadcast, and there will be many craft, retail and information stalls to browse near Torbay Lifeboat Station. Lucky winners who ‘sponsor a duck’ during the day will get to press the start buttons for the fireworks display later in the evening!
The annual Service of Dedication, led again this year by Superintendent Matt Skinner, takes place at 6.30pm during a pause in the live music (service accompanied by the fabulous Brixham Town Band).
RNLI Torbay supporters are invited again this year to join the lifeboat crew for an amazing Evening Cruise; this tickets-only event (boarding from 7.00pm) will cost £15 per adult and £7.50 children (0-15 years) to include a cruise around the Bay, during which the lovely volunteer lifeboat crew will serve canapes to guests whilst telling salty tales of rescues around Torbay! The cruise vessels will anchor off Brixham Breakwater in time for a grandstand view of the fireworks finale at 9.15pm.
As dusk falls from 8.30pm onwards, candle lanterns will be available to purchase from the crew as usual, and guests can settle on Brixham breakwater and beach ready for the evening finale, the Inter-Line Grand Fireworks Display at 9.15pm (supplied this year by Firemagic).
The RNLI Torbay team are working hard to top the success of last year’s Seaside Special in celebration of Coxswain Mark Criddle’s recent OBE – it’s the best year yet to support your wonderful RNLI Torbay lifeboats!
Full event details and timings can be found in the Lifeboat Day Seaside Special booklet (available now on the RNLI website, with printed copies available from numerous local outlets or the RNLI Torbay Boathouse). Full information at www.torbaylifeboat.co.uk or social media pages (seach RNLITorbay on Facebook or Twitter).
* Vessel and aircraft attendance at the Search & Rescue Demonstration subject to operational demands on the day
Notes to editors
Photographs attached show:
(1) RNLI Torbay all-weather lifeboat Alec and Christina Dykes with Teignmouth lifeboat The Two Annes during 2017 SAR demo (photo: Chris Slack Photography)
(2) RNLI Torbay inshore lifeboat Leslie & Mary Daws during SAR demo 2017 (photo RNLI: V Bowen)
(3) Leonardo AW139 search and rescue helicopter from MCA St Athan (photo: Maritime & Coastguard Agency)
(4) Stormy Stan will be at the 2018 Seaside Special (photo: RNLI/V Bowen)
(5) Crowds enjoying Seaside Special 2017 from Breakwater Beach (photo: RNLI/V Bowen)
(6) 2017 Seaside Special fireworks display (photo: Chris Slack Photography)
Other information supplied in/with accompanying email:
· Link to Lifeboat Day 2018 Seaside Special booklet giving full event details
· Link to Paddle Grand Prix poster & online registration/team T Shirt order form
· Link to Two Lighthouse Run online registration form
· Link to full set of event posters on the Torbay Lifeboat website
· Information from the Maritime & Coastguard Agency on the Leonardo AW139 helicopter
Torbay Lifeboat Station Key Facts:
- Torbay lifeboat station has been operating since 1866. To learn more about the station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/torbay-lifeboat-station
- Coxswain of Torbay Lifeboat is Mark Criddle
- Further information on Torbay Lifeboat Station’s local activities can be found at: http://www.torbaylifeboat.co.uk/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rnlitorbay
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/RNLITorbay
RNLI media contacts
Victoria Bowen, RNLI Torbay Lifeboat Press Officer
07794 043 428 or [email protected]
Emma Haines, RNLI Regional Media Officer:
01752 854450 or [email protected]
or RNLI Public Relations at Poole HQ on 01202 336 789 (24 hours)
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.