The RNLI like BRLSI celebrate their bicentenary this year, and we are delighted this Tuesday to share the festivities.

Ahead of their talk, here are ten facts from RNLI’s incredible history.

1.    Like BRLSI, RNLI has been up and running for 200 years.

2.    The RNLI have saved over 144,000 lives.

3.    Astonishingly, they are operated by 97% volunteers.

4.   The first purpose built lifeboats were made in 1785.

5.   The first life jacket ever to be issued to lifeboat crew members was developed by RNLI Inspector Captain Ward in 1854.

6.  Until motorized lifeboats were developed, the boats were launched in water by horses.

7.  Despite having to contend with extremely dangerous conditions, RNLI lifeboat crews saved 6,376 lives between 1939 and 1945.

8.   On 30 May 1940, two RNLI crews joined an armada of little ships for one of the Second World War’s greatest rescues: Operation Dynamo at Dunkirk.

9.   Eighteen-year-old Elizabeth Hostvedt became the first woman qualified to command an inshore lifeboat in 1969.

10.  Hovercrafts added to the RNLI fleet in 2002 to reach areas inaccessible to traditional lifeboats.

We hope you will join them on Tuesday to celebrate their achievement, and to learn more about the thousands of volunteers who show up each year to become real life heroes.

To Book:

https://www.brlsi.org/whatson/rnli-200-years-of-saving-lives-at-sea/

Further Info:

BICENTENARY ANYONE? THE RNLI ON 200 YEARS OF SAVING LIVES AT SEA!