Hunstanton RNLI concert celebrates 200 years of saving lives at sea
A band filled a towering Norfolk church on Saturday 27 April with music to celebrate 200 years of saving lives at sea.
St Mary's Church at nearby Old Hunstanton was packed for a special anniversary performance by the Hunstanton Concert Band on Saturday.
The 30-strong band's programme included Ralph Vaughan Williams Sea Songs, film scores from Pirates of the Caribbean and Titanic, along with the Norfolk premier of a recent work called Ocean’s Journey by Suffolk-based composer Jack Culpin.
Hunstanton Concert Band's links with the RNLI go back 25 years to its first-ever performance, which was at the naming ceremony for the then new Atlantic 75 Class lifeboat DJS Haverhill at Hunstanton lifeboat station in May, 1999.
Paula Cuthbertson, its director of music, said: 'There are many connections between the band and the RNLI, we have members who are in the sea cadets, people who support the RNLI, people who use the beaches.
'Having a back-up service like them here is brilliant, so we just wanted to say thank you.'
Derek Greening, chair of Hunstanton and West Norfolk Lifeboat Guild, addressed the audience before the finale.
He told how the lifesaving work of the station was a team effort which relied on many volunteers who were all one crew.
Afterwards, he said: 'I'm chuffed to bits with this, it's so good for people to be doing this for the RNLI, especially on our 200th anniversary.'
Hunstanton's first crews went to sea in wooden rowing boats, which were pulled across the beach by horses.
Today Hunstanton RNLI operates a fast inshore lifeboat, Spirit of West Norfolk and is one of just four stations which also operate a search and rescue hovercraft, Hunstanton Flyer, from its base on Sea Lane.
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.
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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.