Angle RNLI's 150th birthday becomes a royal occasion

His Royal Highness was fulfilling three engagements in the village that day and his first port of call was Angle RNLI.

The Duke, who was accompanied by the Lord Lieutenant of Dyfed, Sara Edwards, was welcomed by the station’s Lifeboat Operations Manager Julian Hammond; RNLI Council Member Rear Admiral Mark Kerr; RNLI Regional Safety Manager Adam Forrest and Coxswain Lewis Creese.

In the boathouse he met Navigator and Deputy Second Mechanic Paul Smart; Deputy Launch Authorities, the Rev. Michael Brotherton, Mark Newton and Davy Barrett; station Treasurer Linda Foulstone and Community Safety Officer Bevis Musk.

The Duke was shown the relief all weather Tamar class lifeboat, the Frank and Ann Wilkinson, which is on station at Angle while its Tamar class all weather lifeboat Mark Mason is undergoing maintenance at RNLI headquarters at Poole.

He then proceeded to the crewroom, where he was introduced to Ted Goddard, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer; Pembroke Ladies Lifeboat Guild members Daphne Bush (chairman and press officer) and Sandra Thompson (minute secretary), and Head Launcher David Digby Jones.

In the crewroom to welcome the Duke were crew members Sarah Lunn, Carl Morgan, Jordan Tuckwell, Martyn Brock, Ian Foulstone, Penny Harris, Alan Hitchcock, Wendy Moore and Bruce Moore.

Refreshments were served by Julie James and Emma Williams.

Before leaving, the Duke cut a special Angle RNLI 150th anniversary cake, made by Mary Young, and he also signed the station’s visitors’ book.

Moored off the lifeboat station for the Duke’s visit was Angle RNLI’s former Watson class lifeboat, Richard Vernon and Mary Garforth of Leeds. She served at Angle from 1957 to 1987 and is now owned by the station’s Community Safety Officer Bevis Musk.

RNLI media contacts: For more information please telephone Ted Goddard, Angle RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, on 01437 763675 or email [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.

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.