Step aboard Hoylake and West Kirby RNLI lifeboats at lifesaving fundraiser
Hoylake and West Kirby RNLI are inviting the public to step aboard their lifeboats, meet the volunteer crews and see up close the lifesaving charity’s search and rescue equipment at the Wirral lifeboat stations’ annual Meet & Greet Day.
The fundraising community event takes place on Saturday 26 July from 10am until 4pm at Hoylake Lifeboat Station on North Parade. Visitors will have the chance to tour Hoylake RNLI’s all-weather Shannon class lifeboat and hovercraft and West Kirby RNLI’s inshore IB1 lifeboat.
The stations’ launch and recovery vehicles will also be on display, including Hoylake’s Shannon Launch and Recovery System (SLARS) and West Kirby’s Hagglund BV206 launch vehicle - the only vehicle of its type based on station in the RNLI.
The RNLI volunteer crews will be showcasing how they work together with their specialist equipment to save lives at sea and around the region’s coast. The Wirral Coastguard Rescue Team will also be displaying their lifesaving kit.
A fantastic range of RNLI gifts and souvenirs will be on sale, including the charity’s ever-popular Christmas cards and calendars. Refreshments including teas, coffees and sweet treats will also be available in the boathouse. There will be fantastic prizes to win in a fundraising tombola and 15 classic cars will also be on display.
With public parking limited on North Parade, visitors are encouraged to walk, cycle or use public transport where possible.
Hoylake RNLI Coxswain Howie Owen said: ‘We’re always hugely grateful to our incredible community for supporting their local lifeboat crews, who are always on call 24/7. Hoylake and West Kirby RNLI’s Meet & Greet Day has become a really popular event and we can’t wait to welcome everyone to see the lifesaving boats and kit that their donations help to fund.’
Richard Diamond, West Kirby RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, said: ‘Our Meet & Greet Day is always a really good event and it’s a chance for people to see what we do, meet the crew and have a look at the kit, including our unique BV launch vehicle. We look forward to the day - it’s a great atmosphere and a nice way to speak to the community that support us all year round and allow us to keep saving lives at sea.’
In 2024, as the RNLI celebrated its 200th anniversary, lifeboats in the UK and Ireland launched 9,141 times and helped 17,068 people. A total of 437 lives were saved - more than one on every day of the year. But as a charity, the RNLI relies on voluntary donations to power its lifesaving work, which last year cost a total of £191.2 million.
Last year’s Meet & Greet Day raised over £5,000 to fund the lifesaving work of the RNLI. Anyone wishing to donate online directly to support the lifeboat stations can visit https://fundraise.rnli.org/fundraisers/Hoylake
Notes to editors
Hoylake Lifeboat Station was founded in 1803 and is one of the oldest lifeboat stations in the UK. It operates the Shannon class all-weather lifeboat Edmund Hawthorn Micklewood and Inshore Rescue Hovercraft Hurley Spirit.
West Kirby Lifeboat station was founded in 1966 and operates the inshore IB1 lifeboat Leonard Pownall. It is the only lifeboat station in the RNLI to operate the Hagglund BV206 all-terrain launch vehicle.
RNLI media contacts
For more information, please contact:
Dan Whiteley, Hoylake RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer on 07799 851 316 or email [email protected]
Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith, RNLI Regional Communications Manager on 07977 728 315 or email [email protected]
RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789
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.