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Jersey Post Celebrates 200 Years of the RNLI with a Commemorative Stamp Issue

Lifeboats News Release

Jersey Post will release a new stamp issue on Monday 4 March 2024 as part of a pan-island collection issued by Jersey Post, Isle of Man and Guernsey to commemorate 200 years of the RNLI’s lifesaving work.

RNLI volunteers holding RNLI 200 stamps with members of the Jersey Post

RNLI/Archie Connolly

Jersey RNLI volunteers with representatives from Jersey Post
The RNLI was founded in 1824 by Sir William Hillary, who after witnessing dozens of shipwrecks off the coast of the Isle of Man petitioned for a volunteer service which could be called to aid those in need at sea. Six years later, in 1830, a lifeboat was established with a volunteer team and a boat, kept near Havre des Pas. In 1884, the RNLI station in St. Helier was built at Albert Quay, where it still serves as the Island’s RNLI headquarters. In 1969 a second station was established, this time on St. Catherine’s north side of Gibraltar Rock.

Across the UK, Channel Islands and the Republic of Ireland, the RNLI is formed primarily of volunteers driven by selflessness, skill and courage. These volunteer teams have saved in excess of 144,000 lives at sea with the help of public donations to fund the service and equip volunteers with the training and tools required to keep themselves and the public safe at sea.

The Jersey Post stamp issue features imagery from the RNLI’s own library depicting key moments in the Island’s RNLI history:
The first stamp of the issue (60p) features one of the fastest lifeboats in the RNLI fleet, the Atlantic 85 RNLB Eric W Wilson, named after its benefactor Mrs. Winifred Madge Wilson’s late husband. On the second stamp (98p) collectors will enjoy an image of St Heliers Tamar class lifeboat with Corbière Lighthouse in the background.

The Tamar lifeboat is an all-weather craft that sets high standards in terms of safety and technology. The third stamp (98p) shows Jersey’s RNLI lifeguards typical setup at La Braye Beach where they protect beachgoers from hazards such as rip tides. The lifeboat, Howard D (£1.65), caused a stir when it arrived in 1937 as the first ever motorized lifeboat on the Island. The £2.15 stamp depicts a dramatic scene of the rescue of the yacht Fanny after which rescuers were awarded Gold and Silver Medals by the RNLI for their acts of bravery before the organization was established in Jersey.

The final stamp of the issue (£2.95) is the portrait of Sir William Hillary, who founded the RNLI in 1824 after witnessing dozens of shipwrecks around the Isle of Man. The stamp issue also includes a Prestige Stamps Booklet featuring further information about Jersey RNLI and including three complete sets of the stamps set in exclusive stamp panes.

Jersey Post's commemorative stamp issue is a tribute to the enduring spirit of the RNLI, the generations of courageous volunteers and the generosity of those who give to support their vital life-saving work.

Philatelic stamp products such as First Day of Issue covers, Presentation Packs and the Prestige Stamps Booklets will be available from the Jersey post offices at Broad Street, St Helier and Rue Des Pres, St Saviour and can be ordered now at www.jerseystamps.com or by telephoning the Jersey Philatelic Bureau on: 00 44 (0)1534 616717. (Ends)

RNLI/Archie Connolly

Collection of RNLI 200 Jersey Stamps

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.