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The Lord-Lieutenant, Andrew Blackman, visits RNLI Rye Harbour

Lifeboats News Release

The RNLI is one of several businesses and institutions marking its two hundredth anniversary in 2024.

RNLI/KT Bruce

Lord-Lieutenant of East Sussex visits RNLI Rye Harbour
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Rye Harbour lifeboat station was honoured on April 8 to welcome HM Lord-Lieutenant for East Sussex, Andrew Blackman, to acknowledge that milestone and to help celebrate the RNLI’s two centuries of service. The crew, fundraisers and shop staff welcomed him, chatting about the rôles that they play in the charity and Martin Bruce, Chairman of the station, sang Saving Lives at Sea, the institution’s 200th celebration shanty which he has written.
Paul Bolton, Lifeboat Operations Manager, took the Lord-Lieutenant to see the Atlantic 85 lifeboat and tractor and Luke Bishop, helm, explained how it all works.

The Lord-Lieutenant commented after his visit, "I enjoyed a very happy hour at Rye Harbour Lifeboat Station, and learnt so much from talking to volunteers. Rye Harbour remains a close-knit community, and it’s heartening to see second and third generation volunteers sharing with new recruits their passion for saving lives at sea. In this 200th anniversary year for the RNLI, the sense of compassion and service to others that were the founding principles of the charity are alive and well at Rye Harbour; sentiments expressed perfectly in Martin Bruce’s shanty! Many thanks to all for the very warm welcome."

These are some of the other institutions and businesses that are celebrating 200 years in 2024
Cadbury
Scotch Distilleries
RSPCA
University of Manchester
Braille
The Commons Library
Samuel Plimsoll’s birthday
National Gallery

RNLI/KT Bruce

Station Chairman, Martin Bruce, sang his RNLI 200 anniversary Shanty
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RNLI/KT Bruce

LOM Paul Bolton explaining about the work that is done with HM Coastguard
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RNLI/KT Bruce

Luke, helm at the station explains about the Atlantic 85 operates
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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 142,700 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.

About the author

KT Bruce
Lifeboat Press Officer, Rye Harbour Lifeboat Station

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