Day of celebration for Lyme Regis RNLI 200-year anniversary

At midday hundreds of Lyme Regis residents and visitors welcomed the Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat Spirit of Loch Fyne as it was towed through the centre of the town accompanied by volunteer lifeboat crew, their families and supporters. The parade, held as part of the lifeboat station’s commemoration of 200 years in the town, was met at Cobb Gate by the Mayor of Lyme Regis Cllr Philip Evans MBE and Mayoress Mrs Jackie Evans.

In welcoming the lifeboat and its crew to Cobb Gate Cllr Evans read a quote from Sir William Hillary, founder of the RNLI: ‘As long as man shall continue to navigate the oceans, and tempests shall hold course over the surface of every age and on every coast, disaster by sea, shipwreck and peril to human life must inevitably occur.’ Cllr Evans informed the large crowd that these words are as true today as they were in 1824 when the RNLI was formed. He went on to outline the history of the RNLI in Lyme Regis since 1826, the year in which the lifesaving charity was first associated with the town. He highlighted some of the rescues made by its crews over the past two centuries and emphasised the importance of the RNLI and its lifeboat to the people of Lyme Regis.

Responding to Cllr Evans, Chair of Lyme Regis Lifeboat Management Group Petrina Muscroft said: ‘Today is not just a celebration of our lifeboat or the RNLI, it is a celebration of 200 year of courage, commitment and community here in Lyme Regis. For two centuries, generations of men and women have answered the call to save lives at sea. But a lifeboat is not just about the crew, it belongs to the town and is supported by the community. Every launch, every rescue and every safe return is only made possible by the unwavering generosity of the people of Lyme Regis. On behalf of the crew, past as well as present, I would like to express our heart-felt thanks to the Council, the town of Lyme Regis and everyone here today. Your support means everything to us.’

Once the lifeboat had been returned to station its volunteer crew attended a civic reception hosted by the mayor and members of Lyme Regis Town Council in the town’s historic Guildhall. During the reception the mayor presented a commemorative town shield to volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager Mark Colley.

Saturday’s parade and civic reception form part of year-long celebrations of the RNLI’s 200-year association with Lyme Regis. The next event is the annual Blessing of the Boats Service being held on the lifeboat slipway at 3pm on Sunday 10 May.

This year’s Lifeboat Week will be taking place 15-23 August. For the first time in nine years Lifeboat Week will include an aerobatic display by the world-famous Red Arrows aerobatic team at 11:30am on Sunday 16 August. This display has been organised by Lyme Regis Town Council to recognise the RNLI’s 200th anniversary in the town.

Ends

Notes to editors:

In February 1826 the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (which later became the RNLI) approved £18-4s-0d for Lyme Regis to help with the conversion of a local fishing boat for use as a lifeboat. This is the earliest known association of the lifesaving charity with the town.

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.