Littlehampton lifeboat station celebrates RNLI’s 200th anniversary

On the day the charity turns 200, the RNLI is revealing its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved an incredible 146,277 lives during its two centuries of lifesaving.

Littlehampton’s first RNLI lifeboat station was operational from 1884–1921. The modern lifeboat station was established in 1967. For the 94 years that the town has had a lifeboat station, Littlehampton's volunteer crews have launched the lifeboats 2,846 times and saved 392 lives.

Littlehampton lifeboat station was famously home to Blue Peter I – a lifeboat funded by the children’s TV programme Blue Peter – for 49 years. Today, the lifeboat station has two lifeboats, Renee Sherman and Ray of Hope. Many RNLI lifeboats were also built and tested in Littlehampton. In addition, Arun-class all weather lifeboats, which were operated by the RNLI from 1971–2008, were named after the River Arun.

A Service of Thanksgiving to mark 200 years of the RNLI will take place at Westminster Abbey in London on 4 March. It will be attended by representatives from RNLI lifesaving communities around the UK and Ireland, including Jim Cosgrove, Ant Fogg, Cian Mathews and Nick White from Littlehampton lifeboat station.

White, who is Littlehampton lifeboat station’s Lifeboat Operations Manager, says: ‘Littlehampton has a long and close relationship with the RNLI. Generations of men and women from the local area have been saving lives at sea for many years and local boatbuilders have supplied the RNLI with many lifeboats. We’re incredibly grateful for the continued kindness and generosity of every single local supporter who makes our lifesaving work possible. Littlehampton RNLI’s current generation of volunteers selflessly give their time and skills to save lives at sea. As volunteers, we are so proud to serve our community.’

Littlehampton lifeboat station is celebrating the RNLI’s 200th anniversary with a series of events and activities throughout 2024. A glittering Anniversary Ball will be held at Fontwell Racecourse on 9 March. A very special anniversary concert by the Davison Worthing Youth Concert Band will take place at Littlehampton Academy on 15 March. Littlehampton Museum launched a display celebrating the history of Littlehampton RNLI on 1 March, which runs until 10 May. There will also be an attempt to create a giant ‘200’ entirely from coins outside Littlehampton lifeboat station on 6 May. Established events will include the station’s popular Fish & Chip Supper on 4 October, and December Dip on 7 December. Full details of these events – and more – will be announced on Littlehampton lifeboat station’s social media channels.

Founded in a London tavern on 4 March 1824 following an appeal from Sir William Hillary, who lived on the Isle of Man and witnessed many shipwrecks, the RNLI has continued saving lives at sea throughout the tests of its history, including tragic disasters, funding challenges and two World Wars.

Two centuries have seen vast developments in the lifeboats and kit used by the charity’s lifesavers – from the early oar-powered vessels to today’s technology-packed boats, which are now built in-house by the charity; and from the rudimentary cork lifejackets of the 1850s to the full protective kit each crew member is now issued with.

The RNLI’s lifesaving reach and remit has also developed over the course of 200 years. Today, it operates 238 lifeboat stations around the UK and Ireland, including four on the River Thames, and has seasonal lifeguards on over 240 lifeguarded beaches around the UK. It designs and builds its own lifeboats and runs domestic and international water safety programmes.

While much has changed in 200 years, two things have remained the same – the charity’s dependence on volunteers, who give their time and commitment to save others, and the voluntary contributions from the public which have funded the service for the past two centuries.

RNLI Chief Executive, Mark Dowie, says:

‘It has been an honour and a privilege to be at the helm of the RNLI for the past five years, and to see the charity reach its bicentenary. For a charity to have survived 200 years based on the time and commitment of volunteers, and the sheer generosity of the public donating to fund it, is truly remarkable. It is through the courage and dedication of its incredible people that the RNLI has survived the tests of time, including tragic losses, funding challenges, two World Wars and, more recently, a global pandemic.

‘Today, we mark the bicentenary of the RNLI. We remember the achievements and commitment of all those who have been part of the RNLI family over the past two centuries; we celebrate the world-class lifesaving service we provide today, based on our 200 years of learning, expertise and innovation, and we hope to inspire future generations of lifesavers and supporters who will take the RNLI into its next century and beyond.

‘I am immensely grateful to everyone who is involved with the charity – our volunteers, supporters and staff. This is our watch and it is our role to keep our charity safe and secure so it can continue to save lives into the future, as we strive in our vision to save every one.’

Throughout its bicentenary year, the charity is running events and activities to remember its important history and celebrate the modern lifesaving service it is today, while hoping to inspire generations of future lifesavers and supporters.

For further information about the RNLI’s 200^th anniversary, visit RNLI.org/200.

Notes to Editors

• Statistics from RNLI Operational Data from 4 March 1824 to 31 December 2023 inclusive. A life saved shows how many of the people helped by the RNLI would have lost their life had the RNLI not been there.
• Click here to access the RNLI 200^th anniversary media pack, which contains a selection of RNLI archive images from key points in the charity’s history, an RNLI history timeline, and a film of ‘200 years in 200 seconds’ – all of which can be downloaded.

Media contacts

Beth Brooks, Littlehampton RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07544 209256 / [email protected] or the RNLI press office on 01202 336789 / [email protected].

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.