Teddington RNLI Escort Queen’s Row Barge Gloriana On The Thames

According to Glenn Wouters, Teddington RNLI Lifeboat Station Community Safety Officer: ‘It was a great day for people to see the Queen’s Row Barge (QRB) Gloriana coming down the River Thames from Hampton Court to Teddington. Our Crew at Teddington RNLI Lifeboat Station were proud to do our bit.

For our station at Teddington being visible on the Thames is part of our Safer Thames strategy and it’s a privilege sharing our passion for boats and this amazing river. We want to ensure that people enjoy their activities on the River Thames. My role at RNLI Teddington Lifeboat Station is clearly all about safety on the river in our community. So anything we can do to promote this message is vital.

We also want people to just have fun and relax knowing we are there when they need us. We’d like to thank Malcolm Knight of Gloriana QRB.’

The event was organised by Lord’s Taverners at Hampton and incorporated rowers from Weyfarers Rowing Club based in Weybridge. The Queen’s Barge. which is a great attraction on the Thames, also works with many charitable organisations and represented the Queen at the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Malcolm Knight, Events Manager at Gloriana QRB said: It was with great pleasure we had the crews of the Teddington RNLI join The Queen’s Row Barge Gloriana for her stately row through Kingston on Saturday. There was the wonderful link - one of the volunteer rowers from Weybridge Weyfarers on the Royal Barge, Monica Wouters is married to one of the RNLI volunteers Glenn Wouters. It was a marvellous experience to have the escort down the river for the Lord’s Taverners charity row – thank you to all the crews!’

Matt Allchurch was helm on D-743 Olwen and Tom with crew Chris Gibson and Howard Evans was helm on D-785 Peter Saw with crew Ray Searles and Mark Gibbs.

Matt Allchurch said on behalf of the Teddington RNLI helms and crew:

‘It was a pleasure to escort Gloriana from Hampton Court, where she was involved with the prize giving for the BBC Radio 2 ‘500 words’ competition, to Kingston upon Thames. It was a beautiful sunny day with lots of people along the tow path and out in boats all enjoying the sight of Gloriana being towed downriver. We then joined the small boats club summer fete on Stevens Ait on the River Thames where we carried out a few ‘Man Overboard’ (MOB) demonstrations for club members and guests alike.’

Note For Editors and Further Information

https://www.glorianaqrb.org.uk/

https://www.lordstaverners.org/

RNLI media contacts

• Paul Stallard, Teddington RNLI Press Officer, 07879 810 817 / [email protected]

• Paul Dunt, RNLI Media Officer London/South East Tel: (0207) 6207426 Mob: 07785 296252/ [email protected]

• For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789

For the latest RNLI news, photos and videos, visit the RNLI News Centre

www.rnli.org

Key facts about the RNLI

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is the charity that saves lives at sea. Our volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service in the United Kingdom and Ireland from 238 lifeboat stations, including four along the River Thames and inland lifeboat stations at Loch Ness, Lough Derg, Enniskillen and Lough Ree. Additionally the RNLI has more than 1,000 lifeguards on over 240 beaches around the UK and operates a specialist flood rescue team, which can respond anywhere across the UK and Ireland when inland flooding puts lives at risk.

The RNLI relies on public donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. As a charity it is separate from, but works alongside, government-controlled and funded coastguard services. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824 our lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved at least 140,000 lives. Volunteers make up 95% of the charity, including 4,600 volunteer lifeboat crew members and 3,000 volunteer shore crew. Additionally, tens of thousands of other dedicated volunteers raise funds and awareness, give safety advice, and help in our museums, shops and offices.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

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The RNLI is a charity registered in England and Wales (209603) and Scotland (SC037736). Charity number 20003326 in the Republic of Ireland

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.