A day to value our fathers at Rye Harbour RNLI
Rye Harbour Lifeboat station was a buzz of activity on Sunday 16 June, Father’s Day. We celebrated by taking photos of the crew with their children and the crew with their dads, some with a long history of volunteering with the lifeboat service themselves.
In the United Kingdom, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June but it doesn’t have a very long tradition as it was only introduced sometime after World War II and not without opposition. However, a customary day for the celebration of fatherhood in Catholic Europe is known to date back to at least 1508, observed on 19 March, as the feast day of Saint Joseph. Thailand celebrates Father’s Day on the birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej who is considered the Father of the Nation. Traditionally everyone wears yellow and presents bright canna flowers to their fathers. In Mexico, fathers participate in a city-wide race which is 21K and this is followed by a feast. We celebrated the day with lots of different activities at the Harbour.
There was pebble-painting for the crew and their families and training for tractor drivers and crew. We had a visit from Ollie and his family from Westerham, Kent who came to chat to the crew and look at the boat and tractor. We are always happy to welcome families who are interested in the work we do Saving Lives at Sea.
At 11o’clock we held a minute’s silence in tribute to the three crew members from the French sea rescue organization Société Nationale de Sauvetage en Mer (SNSM) who died during a shout. The three were part of a crew of seven that had gone to the aid of a vessel in difficulty.
We wish all the fathers in the RNLI in our 238 lifeboat stations around the country and the lifeguards on the 140 manned beaches, a very happy Father’s Day and remind ourselves that their support is an integral part of our mission.
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
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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.