Saving Lives at the London Boat Show as RNLI rolls out TV Stars and Safety Tips

During the show there will also be the chance to meet RNLI crews who featured on the BBC series ‘Saving Lives at Sea,’ women lifeboat volunteers, who are playing an increasingly important role in life-saving and the charity’s mascot, Stormy Stan.

The show, which runs from January 10 to 14 at London’s ExCel Centre, will also feature an RNLI stand which will be more interactive than ever before and will give the chance for an estimated 95,000 visitors to be given top safety advice, as well as the opportunity to try out some of the latest life-saving equipment.

‘The London Boat Show takes place just a few miles from our busiest lifeboat station, Tower, which saw 517 call outs in 2016,’ said RNLI Community Safety Partner Guy Addington.

‘It’s a great opportunity for the RNLI to meet face to face with the thousands of people who take part in water sports around our coast and inland waterways each year. A few minutes spent passing on safety advice in the warm and dry can directly save lives when people are out on the water’.

On Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 January RNLI crew members who featured on BBC television’s ‘Saving Lives at Sea’ will be appearing at the Legends Theatre with Sky TV’s Alec Wilkinson, who will be interviewing them about their lives as RNLI volunteers and their experiences of taking part in the programme. The theatre will also feature interviews with other crew members from RNLI stations including a session focusing on women and the sea.

The RNLI stand at the show will be displaying a wide range of lifesaving products that can be vital in calling for help if you run into difficulty in the water, from mobile phone pouches to EPIRBs (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons).

There will also be the opportunity to try on a range of modern lifejackets from different manufacturers and to share your perfect fit online with the #LoveMyLifeJacket hashtag.

The RNLI has attended the London Boat Show since 1955 and is a key way for the charity to meet boat owners and promote sign-ups for its ‘Advice on Board’ sessions. These sessions see an expert RNLI volunteer visiting people’s boats to offer helpful tips on staying safe while sailing and boating.

Visitors to the RNLI stand (LA083) can also leave a message to our incredible volunteer crew members on a giant post-it wall.

The London Boat Show runs at the London ExCel Centre, Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London, E16 1XL from Wednesday 10 to Sunday 14 January. For more information on the show visit www.londonboatshow.com.

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RNLI media contacts

For more information on the RNLI at the show, or to arrange interviews, please contact Paul Dunt, the RNLI’s Regional Media Officer for London and the South East on (07785) 296252, [email protected].

Alternatively you can 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.