Walmer RNLI welcomes supporters to its Annual Open Day

With the event opening at 10.00am, attractions included representatives and vehicles from the emergency services who, despite being ready to answer emergency calls, were on hand to explain their work and offer advice. Local musicians The Kellet Gut Shantymen entertained the crowd with their sea shanties

Refreshments were provided by a coffee and cake stall staffed by the station’s fundraising and shop volunteers, a barbeque set up by the licensee from the local public house The Stag and local ice cream manufacturer Solley’s.

Children were entertained by stone decorating and colouring sessions and Bizzie Lizzie’s Face Painting. Other attractions included throwing the welly, throw bag practices and an opportunity to throw wet sponges at crew, family and friends held in stocks.

A viewing platform, set up by local business Cloke Scaffolding, provided visitors with the opportunity to view inside our Atlantic 85 lifeboat Hounslow Branch, and also had the opportunity to have their photo taken in our D Class inshore lifeboat Duggie Rodbard II. Crew were on hand to answer questions about the boats and the type of launch requests we get from HM Coastguard.

The event culminated in an afloat display highlighting the rescue work undertaken on a daily basis by RNLI crews around the UK and Ireland. These included a person in the water and drifting on an inflatable, a simulated fire and people overboard from a raft put out by the crew from our flanking station at Dover and two people rescued from the water after falling from paddleboards. These ‘casualties’ all trained RNLI volunteers, were assisted ashore by members of the Deal Coastguard Rescue Team.

Speaking after the event, Walmer Lifeboat Chair Roger Blown thanked all the volunteers who gave up their time to attend the event and make it such a success. He said: ‘ Events like this one help to raise and maintain the profile of Walmer lifeboat and the RNLI in general.

Special thanks need to go to crew member Max Bowyer and his team for organising the event and Walmer helms Lee Waddon and Dan Sinclair for co-ordinating and the commentary for the afloat display which included aspects of safety advice when undertaking activities at the coast. Finally, as always we would like to thank the local residents and businesses of Deal and Walmer for their continued support of their lifeboat station.’

Notes to editors

Walmer lifeboat station was established in 1856.

It currently operates two inshore lifeboats – a B Class Atlantic 85 Donald McLauchlan and a smaller D Class Duggie Rodbard II.

Crews have received 28 Awards for Gallantry

To find out more about Walmer lifeboat station go to https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/walmer-lifeboat-station

RNLI media contacts

• Chris Winslade, Lifeboat Press Officer, Walmer Lifeboat Station on 01304 374475 or 07906 623037 [email protected]

• Julie Rainey, RNLI Regional Communications Lead on 07827 358256 [email protected]

• Hatti Mellor, RNLI Regional Communications Manager (London/East/South East) on 07724 801305 [email protected]

• For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789 or [email protected]

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 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.