Barry Yacht Club support for Barry Dock RNLI nears 100-year milestone
Barry Yacht Club has once again made a generous donation to the RNLI — continuing a tradition of support which has seen thousands of pounds raised since the club first opened its doors in 1926.
This year’s donation of £1,245 brings the total in recent years to well over £1,000 annually, with the club’s members choosing to make voluntary contributions alongside their annual fees. As the 100-year anniversary of the club’s support for the RNLI approaches, the enduring relationship between the two organisations remains as strong as ever.
The connection between Barry Yacht Club and the RNLI runs far deeper than financial support. Over the years, the club has also assisted with the practical side of lifesaving at sea — offering vessels and crews safe harbour in Barry after being towed following incidents, helping to bring people safely ashore, which is often the best way to ensure lives are saved.
The club regularly opens its doors to the RNLI for crew nights, training sessions, charity events, barbecues, and community gatherings, providing valuable facilities and a welcoming venue for the volunteer crew at Barry Dock Lifeboat Station. In recent years, RNLI teams have delivered lifejacket checks and safety talks at the club, including sessions for paddleboarders and for the rowing community — helping to share water safety messages with those enjoying the local coastline. The club also supports the station operationally by providing free access for launch and recovery of the D class inshore lifeboat when required for maintenance.
Howard Metcalfe, Barry Yacht Club Treasurer and RNLI Barry Dock Volunteer crew:
‘We’re proud of our long-standing partnership with the RNLI. Our members know the importance of the charity’s work first-hand, and we’re pleased to be able to offer both financial support and practical assistance whenever we can. As we approach 100 years of this relationship, it’s something the club is hugely proud of.’
Olivia Harrison, Chair of Barry Dock RNLI said:
‘We are incredibly grateful to Barry Yacht Club for everything they do. The financial donations are hugely appreciated, but it’s also the ongoing practical support — from helping us bring vessels safely into harbour, to providing a base for training and community events, to opening their doors for safety talks — that makes a real difference. It’s a great example of how the local community works together to help save lives at sea.’
The RNLI is a charity that relies on donations and volunteers to provide 24/7 search and rescue services around the UK and Ireland. Barry Dock Lifeboat Station operates an all-weather Shannon class lifeboat and an inshore D class lifeboat, with volunteer crews ready to respond whenever the pager sounds.
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Notes to editors:
· The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the UK and Ireland.
· Barry Dock lifeboat station operates an all-weather Shannon class lifeboat and an inshore D class lifeboat.
· Barry Yacht Club was founded in 1926 and, coincidentally, will celebrate its centenary next year when Barry Dock RNLI celebrates its 125th anniversary.
For further information, please contact:
Lisa Newberry, Lifeboat Press Officer, Barry Dock Lifeboat Station, 07977 922889. Alternatively, you can contact Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith, Regional Communications Manager on [email protected] or 07977 728315, or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.
RNLI online
For more information, please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the RNLI News Centre.
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.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok 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.