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RNLI are taking over Cutty Sark for one weekend only

Lifeboats News Release

Tower RNLI will be storming Cutty Sark this weekend, to teach people about the importance of keeping safe on and around the water this summer.

Cutty Sark at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London

National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London

Cutty Sark at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London

On Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 July, crew from Tower RNLI will be in the dry berth of Cutty Sark to mark the RNLI’s 200th anniversary by providing key water safety advice and techniques. The crew will be running a variety of activities and talks each hour from 11am to 4pm.

Royal Museums Greenwich have kindly allowed Tower Lifeboat crew to deliver a combination of talks, demonstrations, and water safety messaging to the public onboard Cutty Sark.

The crew will be sharing the history of the RNLI and it’s 238 lifeboat stations as well as more specifically how Tower lifeboat station, the busiest in the country, is able to run 24/7. There will also be plenty of opportunities to speak to the crew and ask them any questions you may have about life on the Thames. They will also be available to speak about their personal experiences of being part of the charity in its bicentenary year.

A couple of lifeboat stations on the Thames are crewed 24/7 and are expected to launch within 90 seconds of the alarm being raised. This includes getting fully kitted and preparing the boat. This weekend you will get the opportunity to witness the crew get kitted up and have a chance to try it yourself.

The RNLI’s water safety team will also be in attendance, teaching you how to throw a throw bag to a casualty. Throw bags are the cheapest method of rescuing a casualty and it a great skill for anyone to have. One day it may help you save someone’s life.

Cutty Sark, launched in 1869, is the only survivor of the British Tea Clippers. Stephen Wheatly, a crew member at Tower RNLI said: ‘It is great to be able to mark the RNLI’s 200th anniversary by combining two large marine brands with amazing maritime history. We are keen to spread awareness of the dangers around the Thames and help prevent people finding themselves in trouble in the water. Having the opportunity to deliver our safety advice on such a historic ship is a great way of meeting the public in an interesting setting.’

Claire Denham, research advisor for Cutty Sark, said: ‘Join us at Cutty Sark for a weekend of lifesaving to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the RNLI. We have teamed up with our local lifeboat station at Tower to host a range of talks and demonstrations.

'Learn about Cutty Sark’s lifeboat and her lifesaving equipment, hear the story of the dramatic rescue of the owner of Cutty Sark John Willis’s ship, Hallowe’en and her crew by the RNLI and see ship keeping in action onboard, from oar to fender making.

'And don’t forget to pop over to the National Maritime Museum to see our free exhibition, Women of the RNLI.’

At the start of the year, Royal Museums Greenwich opened an exhibition called ‘Women of the RNLI’. The exhibition opened on 2 March 2024, two days before the RNLI’s 200th anniversary. It will be available to visit until 1 December 2024. The exhibition provides a personal perspective on a lifesaving institution, through the stories of past and present volunteers.

Notes to editor:

Cutty Sark reopened to the public in April 2012, marking a new chapter in the extraordinary life of the last surviving tea clipper and one of the world’s most famous ships. Visitors to Cutty Sark can venture aboard and beneath the beautiful three-masted clipper: walk along the decks in the footsteps of the merchant seamen who sailed her over a century ago; explore the hold where precious cargo was stored on epic voyages; and even walk underneath the 963-tonne ship in the dry berth below to view the elegant lines of her hull.

Cutty Sark is part of Royal Museums Greenwich, which also incorporates the National Maritime Museum, the Queen’s House and Royal Observatory Greenwich. This unique collection of museums and heritage buildings, which form a key part of the Maritime Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site, welcomes over 2.5 million British and international visitors a year and is also a major centre of education and research. The mission of Royal Museums Greenwich is to enrich people’s understanding of the sea, the exploration of space and Britain’s role in world history. For more information visit rmg.co.uk.

To book a ticket for Cutty Sark this weekend, visit: RNLI weekend at Cutty Sark | Royal Museums Greenwich (rmg.co.uk)

To find out more about the Women of the RNLI exhibition, visit: Women of the RNLI: National Maritime Museum Exhibition | RNLI 200 (rmg.co.uk)

RNLI media contacts

For more information please email Izzy Coley, RNLI Media Engagement Placement – South East Region on [email protected] or telephone RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.

RNLI at 200

On 4 March 2024, the RNLI celebrates 200 years of saving lives at sea – thanks to volunteers giving their time to save others, all funded by voluntary public donations. Throughout its 200th anniversary year, the charity is running events and activities to commemorate its history, celebrate the lifesaving service it provides today, and inspire generations of future lifesavers and supporters. For more information visit RNLI.org/200.

Onboard the Cutty Sark with its two lifeboats in the background

National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London

Onboard the Cutty Sark
Birds Eye View of the Cutty Sark

National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London

Birds Eye View of the Cutty Sark

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, Twitter 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.