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RNLI 200th Coast to Cobbles relay launches at Silloth Lifeboat Station

Lifeboats Media Invite

On Saturday 28 October the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s (RNLI) Coast to Cobbles time capsule will begin its journey from Silloth as it travels down the North West to its destination at Salford Quays.

Female RNLI crew member holding time capsule case

RNLI / Iwan Ellis Roberts

The time capsule will travel down the coast of the north west
  • Event: RNLI 200 Coast to Cobbles relay launches at Silloth Lifeboat Station
  • Venue: Silloth Lifeboat Station
  • Date/time: Saturday 28 September @ 9.30am

Media op overview:
There will be photo and video opportunities to capture the time capsule beginning its journey and the day’s activities and celebrations. Interviews will be available on request with multiple RNLI spokespeople including Coast to Cobbles organisers and RNLI Community Managers Dani Becket and Sophie Wood, and Silloth RNLI volunteers.

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The relay sees a specially designed time capsule passed from lifeboat station to lifeboat station, with each crew given the opportunity to add something before it is sealed and put on display in Lytham St Annes Lifeboat Museum for 50 years.

This special event is to commemoration the iconic history of the RNLI in the North West of England. In 1886, 27 lifeboat men lost their lives in their mission to rescue crew from the stricken German barque Mexico off the coast of Southport. Out of adversity and hardship communities pulled together, and in 1891 they brought a lifeboat into the city of Manchester for the world’s first ever street collection – which paved the way for how charities fundraise today.

Coast to Cobbles will once again bring communities together, transporting a time capsule and picking up stories to commemorate, celebrate and inspire the next generation of lifesavers in the RNLI’s 200th year of lifesaving.

Starting from Silloth Lifeboat Station, the time capsule will include a station photo of the Silloth RNLI crew and a current tea and coffee list of how people take their drink, along with some historical items.

At 9.30am the ‘Ukes of Allonby’ ukulele band will start the day by singing sea shanties. Then at 10am the lifeboat will make its way down the slipway to receive the time capsule. Once the capsule is onboard, the boat will launch on the water and make its way down the coast of Cumbria towards Workington and then onto Whitehaven.

Dani Beckett RNLI Community Manager said:

‘We can’t wait to launch our special Coast to Cobbles relay from Silloth Lifeboat Station, as we celebrate RNLI lifesaving across north west England over the last 200 years and counting.

‘The day will be an exciting occasion filled with fun for all the family. There will be refreshments in the boathouse, the RNLI shop will be open and there will be plenty of singing, as well as *games like ‘soak the crew’ and dressing up in crew kit for children to enjoy.

‘It will be a great day to commemorate all the lifesavers who have come before us, to celebrate our amazing current volunteers and supporters, and to hopefully inspire the next generation of lifesavers – so we can continue saving lives at sea for the next 200 years. We hope to see you there!’

The Coast to Cobbles event marks the RNLI’s 200th anniversary in the North West, commemorating the region’s contribution to the charity’s two centuries of saving lives at sea. Further celebrations will be taking place all along the coast and inland with key fundraising activities at Lytham St Annes, Liverpool and Salford Quays.

There will be photo and video opportunities to capture the time capsule beginning its journey and the celebrations. Interviews will be available with multiple spokespeople including Coast to Cobbles organisers and RNLI Community Managers Dani Becket and Sophie Wood and Silloth RNLI volunteers and lifeboat crew – you can find out all the events coming up on the RNLI website: www.rnli.org/find-my-nearest/events.

Notes to editors

  • To register you interest in coming please contact Rebecca / Claire on the details below.
  • A press release and images will be released following the event (w/c Monday 30 Sept).
  • *Games available on the day will be weather dependent.

RNLI media contacts

For more information please contact Rebecca Clark Silloth RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on [email protected] or 07501 532 174.

Alternatively you can contact Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith, Regional Communications Manager on [email protected] or 07977 728 315 / the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789 or [email protected].

RNLI time capsule in front of RNLI wellies

RNLI / Iwan Ellis Roberts

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.

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