
Longhope RNLI celebrates the stations 150th anniversary and raises funds
Longhope lifeboat station celebrated 150 years of service with a fantastic weekend of fundraising events enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.
Longhope lifeboat station was established in 1874 to cover the north side of the Pentland Firth, a stretch of water between the Orkney Islands and Caithness in the north of Scotland. Since then, the station has played a crucial role in providing lifesaving services in the treacherous waters around Orkney and boasts a long history of bravery, dedication and sacrifice. We are proud of our history, and integral role that the lifeboat station continues to play in our small island community and so it was only fitting that we celebrated 150 years of continuing service.
Orkney has experienced dreadful weather over the past few months and so it was with relief that we awoke on Saturday 20 July 2024, to a clear, bright day with gentle winds. Perfect for our first event of the weekend, a Family Fun Day organised by, and held at, the North Walls Centre. The day had something for everyone, with a raffle, an assault course, tug o’ war, welly throwing competition, sock hanging competition, a fantastic agility display put on by the Hoy Hounds and an exciting appearance from Stormy Stan. And for the hungry masses, there was tea and cake provided by the Longhope Lifeboat Guild, and a BBQ.
Unfortunately, the weather didn't hold out, and by evening, the rain poured down. However, this didn't dampen our spirits. Thanks to the generous support of the Flotta Oil Terminal, which provided a boat to transport guests to and from our island, locals and visitors alike gathered in the YM, Longhope, for an evening of dancing, with music provided by the Craig Mainland Dance Band.
The Craig Mainland Dance Band was excellent, providing traditional Scottish music, while Mabel Besant led the dancing with enthusiasm, guiding everyone through traditional steps that filled the room with twirling and laughter. Children weaved in and out of the dancers, their energy and laughter infectious and to ensure everyone was well-fuelled and able to dance the night away, the Guild provided a hearty snack of homemade soup.
Sunday morning saw bright sunshine, alongside some sore heads and tired feet. But there was no rest for our volunteer crew as at 09:11am, the pagers went off and RNLB Helen Comrie was launched to assist a yacht in difficulties east of Swona, off the south coast off South Ronaldsay. Having safely towed the yacht back to Longhope Harbour, we began our station open day where we were joined by members of our community and volunteer crews from Wick, Stromness, and Thurso. Thurso Lifeboat Operations Manager Scotty Youngson presented Longhope Coxswain, Scott Johnston with a specially made, engraved plague in commemoration of our anniversary. Volunteers from the Guild provided tea and cakes, and the weekend-long raffle was drawn, offering some excellent prizes.
Midway through the afternoon, the sound of pagers once again rang through the air as, at 14:23pm, a tasking request was received from HM Coastguard. Reports indicated a yacht in difficulty in Hoy Sound, the area of responsibility for Stromness RNLI. When the pagers go off, everything is dropped and this time was no different. The Stromness volunteer crew bid farewell to Longhope, and immediately returned to their lifeboat to launch in response to the shout.
This weekend has been months in the planning, with a significant amount of time and energy invested by everyone involved and would not have been successful without the kindness and support shown by local businesses who provided transport, funding and prizes. A huge thank you to Cooke Agriculture, Flett’s Butchers, Sinclair’s Ice-Cream, NOV Flotta, Orkney Ferries, Hoy Development Trust, JMF Groat, Toumal Art Gallery, William Shearer, Aurora Jewellery, Orkney Cheese, Pentland Ferries, Northlink Ferries, Highland Park, Orkney Distillery Ltd, The Longship, and Tesco.
In particular, Trish Avis, Chair of the Longhope Lifeboat Guild, has played a crucial role in ensuring the success of the event. As the afternoon drew to a close, Colin Bates, Longhope Lifeboat Operations Manager, recognised Trish’s service to the Guild, and the RNLI as a whole, by presenting her with a small gift of appreciation on behalf of the crew. A delighted Trish said, ‘Thank you, but I couldn’t do it without all of the you, the Guild, the crew and the shore-based staff’ beautifully highlighting our ethos, ‘we are one crew, saving lives together.’
Lifeboat Operations Manager, Colin Bates reflected, ‘A great time was had by all, over two days of fun and frolics at Longhope, to celebrate 150 years of the Longhope lifeboat including a fun afternoon of family games, BBQ, and a dance on Saturday night. The open day started with a bang, or should I say, a shout, and ended with a second shout in the afternoon! Many thanks to all who helped and supported, in whatever way to make this a successful weekend.’
The RNLI is a charity, solely reliant on donations from the public, so it was fitting that, on our open day, we had not one, but two tasking requests. This is a day when we not only celebrate the work our station does but also strive to raise funds to ensure that the RNLI can continue its mission of saving lives at sea—a mission we have embraced here at Longhope RNLI for the last one hundred and fifty years. The kindness, generosity and ongoing support of our supporters ensures that we will be able to continue our mission, for the next one hundred and fifty years.
The total amount of funds raised has not yet been calculated but will be provided as soon as the figures are available.
Notes to editors
· Longhope lifeboat station has been operating since 1874 and celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2024. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: Longhope Lifeboat Station (rnli.org)
RNLI media contacts
Vicky Mackinnon, Lifeboat Press Officer, 07703 688066, [email protected]
Natasha Bennett, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]
Tom McGuire, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Scotland and Ireland, 00353 87 476 4436, [email protected]
Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]
RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789
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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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