Lyme Regis RNLI launches special 200th anniversary Lifeboat Week Programme
With two months to go until the start of a bumper lifeboat week, Lyme Regis RNLI volunteers have produced a souvenir programme to commemorate 200 years of lifesaving in the town.
Lyme Regis lifeboat week 2026 runs from Saturday 15 to Sunday 23 August. As always, the week is filled with family favourites such as the bathtub race, swimming challenge, fun run, duck race and crab fishing. There is also an air display by two vintage Supermarine Spitfires and music most evenings.
The RAF Red Arrows will also be displaying this year after an absence of nine years. This has been made possible by the generous support of Lyme Regis Town Council. The Red Arrows display is scheduled to take place on Sunday 16 August at 11:30am (please note this is a change of date from that shown on page 5 of the programme).
Our lifeboat week souvenir programme is much more than a schedule of the week’s events. It also includes articles covering the 200-year history of life saving in Lyme Regis and features profiles of some of the characters who have volunteered for the RNLI over two centuries.
Lifeboat Week organiser Mark Ellis, a volunteer lifeboat helm at Lyme Regis said: “On behalf of all the RNLI volunteers in Lyme Regis I extend a very warm welcome to residents and visitors in what is a very special year for our lifesaving charity. We hope you will support us by buying this souvenir programme and I hope you find the features and photos about us and our 200-year history both entertaining and fascinating.’
The souvenir programme is on sale, price £3, from the Lyme Regis and Beer RNLI shops. It is also available from the The Slipway, Colyton Post Office, Uplyme Garage, Beer Head Caravan Park Nisa and Charmouth campsites. More venues will be added over the next few weeks.
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Notes to editors
Photo 1 Caption: Lyme Regis Special 200th Anniversary Souvenir Programme
RNLI media contacts
For more information, please contact Nick Marks, volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer at Lyme Regis Lifeboat Station on 07568 187582 or [email protected]. or Emma Haines, Regional Communications Manager, on 07786 668847 or [email protected], or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.
RNLI Media Contacts
For further information, please contact:
Nick Marks, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI Wales & West, [email protected]
Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Wales, West of England and Isle of Man, 07977 728 315, [email protected]
Danielle Rush, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Wales, West of England and Isle of Man, 07786 668829, [email protected]
RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, TikTok 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.