Carnival Atmosphere in Stromness for the RNLI's 200th

There can be few sounds or sights more stirring than those of a marching pipe band. Make that five pipe bands and you have a real spectacle. The narrow, twisting street through Stromness was the venue for just such a parade on Sunday 5 May.

Pipe bands travelled across the Pentland Firth last week, from Wick and Thurso, to join local bands from Stromness and Kirkwall. From across the Atlantic Ocean came the Kincardine Pipe Band of Ontario, Canada.

To remember the founding of Stromness Lifeboat Station, in 1867, piper, Paul Robertson, escorted by Stromness RNLI volunteer crew member, Davie Wishart, marched from the original lifeboat shed, to join the bands at Stromness Golf Club.

The bands then marched down the street, each band followed by more lifeboat volunteers and supporters. There was even a squad of Vikings bringing up the rear. Half way, they formed into a single, massed band for the march to the Pier Head. There were close to 100 pipes and drums in total. A bucket collection along the route raised a super amount for RNLI (uncounted at time of press).

The narrow street had rarely, if ever, been thronged by such crowds. The RNLI Ladies’ Guild Collectors were struggling to carry their buckets by the end – such was the generosity of locals and visitors alike. “There’s a lot of paper money in there too”, said one. A carnival atmosphere at the Pier Head greeted the band, with a guest performance by Orkney Rocks who supported an appearance – for one night only – of the Massed RNLI Crews singing a lifeboat song: ‘Home from the Sea’ written by Phil Coulter.

A huge THANK YOU to all the visiting bands and crews, without whom there would have been no massed band, for supporting the once-in-a-lifetime event and helping to raise such a good amount for the lifeboats. Thanks also to Orkney Rocks and sponsors Cooke Aquaculture, NorthLink Ferries, Scottish Sea Farms and BDS. Also thanks to Aimee Robertson, Kaja Wilson-Price and the Stromness RNLI Ladies’ Guild for all the vision and hard work in making it all happen. Kaja said: “It’s been fantastic. The weather has been great, the shops have been busy and there’s been a great ‘buzz’. It’s been a brilliant way to celebrate the 200^th anniversary of RNLI.” Bella Wishart and Aimee Robertson thanked the people of Stromness and wider Orkney for coming together to give such support to the RNLI.

John McManus from Kincardine said of their trip: “It’s gone very, very well. We’ve had a whale of a time. We’ve played in Inverness (with Edinburgh still to come). We’ve seen Skara Brae, Ring of Brodgar and the weather has been good. The hospitality has been second to none.”

And, wouldn’t you know it? Just as the lifeboat volunteers were tucking into tea and home bakes at around 5:30pm, the alarm sounded and the crew had to launch the boat.

Within minutes the Violet Dorothy and Kathleen was away and off to rescue two climbers from the foot of cliffs near the Old Man of Hoy. Thankfully, injuries were only very slight and the pair were taken back to Moaness at their own request.

If ever there was a reminder that the charity is on-call 24/7, and that crews will leave whatever they are doing, to go to someone in peril on the sea, then this was it.

Notes to editors

· Stromness lifeboat station has been operating since 1867. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/stromness-lifeboat-station

RNLI media contacts

Richard Clubley, Lifeboat Press Officer, [email protected]

Natasha Bennett, RNLI Regional Media Officer for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]

Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Media Manager for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789

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.