
Fowey lifeboat station to host water safety day and historic RNLI scroll signing
On Saturday April 6, Fowey RNLI lifeboat station is holding a Water Safety Day designed to prepare people how to stay safe and how to spot danger signs as they head out to the coast and into the water this holiday season. The station will also welcome the historic RNLI scroll for a signing ceremony.
The event will run from 10am till 3pm at Fowey RNLI lifeboat station. On hand will be the local RNLI water safety team, members of Fowey’s lifeboat crew and the coastguard team. Salty Swims from St Austell will be giving demonstrations of how to ‘float to live’ and the coastguard and water safety teams will be giving demonstrations and water safety advice. There will be talks and information on cold water shock and how to avoid it, and how to spot the signs of someone experiencing swim failure.
Fowey’s inshore lifeboat crew will be launching their D class lifeboat and demonstrating man overboard recovery techniques in Fowey harbour. In the station there will be sessions on how to maintain and check lifejackets, which all sailors should do at least once a year. TMS from Par will be there selling spare parts for lifejackets, and will provide a facility for booking in lifejackets for professional servicing.
At 1pm, a focal point of the day will be a ceremony to witness representatives from Fowey RNLI signing the RNLI 200 Connecting our Communities commemorative scroll.
The scroll, bearing the RNLI pledge, is being passed through RNLI communities around the UK and Ireland and being signed by representatives at each location on its route. It arrives in Cornwall on April 1.
The pledge reads: ‘Whoever we are, wherever we are from, we are one crew, ready to save lives. We’re powered by passion, talent and kindness, like generations of selfless lifesavers before us. This is our watch, we lead the way, valuing each other, trusting each other, depending on one another, volunteering to face the storm together. Knowing that, with courage, nothing is impossible. That is what has always driven us to save every one we can. It's what makes every one of us a lifesaver.’
Chairman of Fowey Lifeboat Management Group, Adam Luck said: ‘As the RNLI celebrates 200 years and Fowey lifeboats celebrate 165 years of saving lives at sea, we wanted to mark the occasion with a special event. We decided on a day that focuses on the importance of knowing how to stay safe in and around the water and of knowing what to do when in danger or if you spot someone in trouble. We have a great day of fun and informative activities planned, with plenty going on for all the family to enjoy.’
Adam continues: ‘As part of our event we’re looking forward to welcoming the RNLI 200 scroll to Fowey. The scroll is part of the RNLI’s commemorative events this year to mark their 200th anniversary. In an Olympic Torch-style relay called Connecting our Communities, which started on Monday March 4 at a service in Westminster Abbey, the specially made scroll is travelling around the UK. Hundreds of communities expressed their interest in hosting the scroll, and we are delighted that Fowey lifeboat station and the Mevagissey RNLI shop have been chosen as host locations. We hope as many people as possible can come along to help us witness and celebrate this historic occasion.’
Throughout the day, Fowey RNLI shop will be open and there will be music and refreshments, with Stormy Stan making a special appearance. In the afternoon The Press Gang will be performing shanty songs live at the station, including the lifeboat hymn. Fowey’s all-weather Trent class lifeboat will be open for tours from 10am till 2.30pm.
At 3pm, Fowey’s volunteer lifeboat crew will launch the all-weather lifeboat from her pontoon in Fowey with the historic RNLI scroll onboard. She will travel to Mevagissey and on arrival in Mevagissey at 3.30pm, the scroll will be handed over to representatives from the Mevagissey RNLI shop for a special signing ceremony on Mevagissey quay. This will be followed by tours of the Fowey lifeboat and celebrations on the quay and jetty with shanty singers, a treasure hunt and events in the harbour. The Mevagissey RNLI shop will also be open to visitors. The lifeboat will depart from Mevagissey at 5.30pm.
All events on the day will be subject to weather and operational needs.
People can follow the progress of the scroll on its journey around the UK on an interactive map at
rnli.org/200relay
Find out more and get up-to-date information on Facebook at FoweyLifeboat.
Activities for Fowey’s scroll signing and water safety day include:
10am Inshore lifeboat launch
10.30am Lifejacket maintenance demo
11am Cold water shock talk
11.15am Float to live demo
11.15am Inshore lifeboat man overboard demo
12pm Lifejacket maintenance demo
12.30pm Cold water shock talk
1 – 2pm Connecting our Communities Scroll Signing Ceremony.
2pm The Press Gang shanty group singing live
2.15pm Lifejacket maintenance
2.15pm Float to live demo
2.30pm Cold water shock talk
2.45pm Inshore lifeboat man overboard demo
3pm Scroll departs from Fowey to Mevagissey, carried onboard the Fowey all-weather lifeboat, which will launch from her pontoon at 3pm.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1102208224256250/
Activities for the Mevagissey scroll signing event on the quay and jetty include:
3.15pm Shanty singing
3.30pm Welcome Fowey lifeboat with the connecting communities scroll
4pm Scroll Signing Ceremony on the Quay
4-5.15pm Tours of Fowey lifeboats
5.30pm Fowey lifeboat departs
A stall selling shop merchandise. Throughout the afternoon there will a chance to meet Stormy Sam, choirs of shanty singers and a children’s shop window treasure hunt with prizes. Inflatable lifeboat rib on Jetty and a display giving a history of the Mevagissey lifeboat in conjunction with Mevagissey museum.
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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.
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.