RNLI lifeboat station team included in the royal visit to Fowey

The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall were visiting the town during the Celebration of Fowey Festival, touring local businesses and meeting residents, representatives from the Fowey Gig Club and members of the RNLI and Royal British Legion on the Town Quay.

Although only a brief meeting, it gave the RNLI team at Fowey an opportunity to meet the royal couple and explain more about the rescue and fundraising work done by the station team.

Chris Ogg is the Lifeboat Operations Manager at Fowey:

‘We are a dedicated team of volunteers who are very proud of our lifeboat’s history in the town. We were delighted to be given this special opportunity to meet members of the royal family and tell them all about the commitment and dedication of the crew to saving lives at sea.’

During the visit Prince Charles presented Fowey RNLI Coxswain Jonathan Pritchard with his 30 years’ service award. Jonathan joined Fowey RNLI in 1988 serving first as volunteer crew on the all-weather lifeboat, and D Class lifeboat helm, then as Deputy 2nd Coxswain, 2nd Mechanic and continued helming D Class. In 2010 Jonathan took up the post of Retained Coxswain in addition to his job as Tug Master and Deputy Harbour Master in Fowey.

Jonathan said:

‘It was an honour to have my award presented today by HRH The Prince of Wales. He was incredibly interested in the work we do as a station and the lives of our volunteers. I wouldn’t have been able to dedicate myself to the RNLI for the past 30 years or accept this award without the support of my family. Today was made even more special with them stood alongside me’

RNLI notes to editors

• Please find attached photographs HRH The Prince of Wales meeting Jonathan Pritchard, RNLI Coxswain at Fowey – credit RNLI/Jessica Putt
• Fowey station trains 65 times a year and has an average of 40 shouts ranging from people cut off by the tide, broken down vessels to medical emergencies
• Continuing a long tradition of lives saved at sea, in 2016 and 2017 the station was credited with saving 10 lives and 8 lives respectively

For more information please contact Amy Caldwell, RNLI Regional Media Manager on 07920 818807 or [email protected]

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.

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