Celebrate RNLI 200 at The Historic Dockyard Chatham

On Monday 4 March, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) celebrated 200 years since its formation. 

In partnership with the RNLI, The Historic Dockyard Chatham have launched a commemorative five-month exhibition for the charity’s 200th anniversary year. The exhibition has officially been opened by the Chairman of Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, Admiral Sir Trevor Soar KCB OBE DL and Chair of the RNLI, Janet Legrand OBE KC (Hon) during a special reception evening on Thursday 21 March.  

RNLI 200: The Exhibition tells the exhilarating story of the history of the lifesaving charity and the stories of the people who have risked their lives to save others, come rain or shine, storm or hurricane.

The exhibition is one-of-a-kind and the first time that such a large collection of stories and RNLI artefacts have been brought together in one space. 

It celebrates the lives and heroism of the crews and people involved in the organisation over its 200 year.  

Already home to the RNLI Historic Lifeboat Collection, The Historic Dockyard Chatham is the perfect venue to showcase the thrilling story of the RNLI. 

Included with standard Dockyard ticket.

Black Tie Dinner – Volunteers and sponsors required


As part of the 200th RNLI Anniversary our colleagues at Sheerness Lifeboat Station are organising a celebration black tie dinner at the Sheppey Rugby Club on Saturday 7th September 2024.  The fund raising team are looking for volunteers to assist with helping to organise the event and also for sponsors.  Sponsorship could be as little as treating a crew member to dinner to paying for the band or some of the bigger overheads.

If you are interested in assisting or willing to financially  contribute towards the event please email Rachel_Collier@rnli.org.uk

Allhallows Yacht Club now closed

RNLI Sheerness has published this story: The demise of a local yacht club has resulted in the Sheerness RNLI Lifeboat Station receiving a huge donation of £78,000.

The Allhallows Yacht Club Ltd, based on the Grain Peninsula within the Allhallows Leisure Park had been unable to negotiate a new lease with the owners and the sad decision was taken to wind down the club which was established on the same site in 1964. The AYC Ltd company memorandum and articles stated that should the club be closed down for any reason then any remaining funds were to be donated to a local boating related charity. Following a unanimous decision by the club members it was decided that the Sheerness RNLI Lifeboat Station would be the benefactor due its close proximity (by sea) to Allhallows and the fact that over the years the Sheerness RNLI volunteers have helped out AYC club members on a number of occasions when they found themselves in difficulties. Sheerness RNLI Lifeboat Station Coxswain/Mechanic Paul Jarvis along with his predecessor Robin Castle and Sheerness lifeboat station Operations Manager Nigel Budden met representatives of the club on Saturday 7 October at Lower Stoke on the Isle of Grain and were astounded when Andrew Vincent (AYC President) and Mrs Cheryl Frame, on behalf of her late husband Barry Frame (AYC Commodore) presented the huge cheque to them. Also present were Claire Vincent (AYC President), Nigel Godden (Rear Commodore) and other longstanding members including Mrs Anne Letch who joined the AYC with her husband in 1968. Mr Vincent said: ‘Whilst we are very pleased to be able to benefit such a worthwhile institution as the RNLI it was with great sadness that this was the final act of Allhallows Yacht Club’. On behalf of all the crew and volunteers of the Sheerness RNLI Lifeboat Coxswain Paul thanked all those present for their generosity but also offered commiserations for their loss.

Yacht spectacularly aground in Stangate Creek

Photo Wil Pretty

This yacht was seen hard aground in the entrance of Stangate Creek on Sunday. The inshore lifeboat attended: “a call came through for the crew to assist a yacht with two people and a dog onboard that was hard aground with its bow actually up on the saltings in Stangate Creek and reported to be taking on water at the stern. Making best speed the inshore lifeboat arrived on scene and immediately took the two people and the dog off the yacht, from where they were taken and transferred to the all-weather lifeboat. The two people plus their little dog were taken back to the boathouse and made comfortable.

RNLI Innovations talk by Colin Brown, Strood YC, 14 Oct

The Kent & East Sussex Branch of the Inland Waterways Association
invite you to an open meeting on The RNLI.

Colin Brown is returning to give us the follow up to his excellent previous talk two years ago.

Thursday, 14 October 2021, 7.30 p.m. for 8.00 p.m.
at Strood Yacht Club, Knight Road, Strood, ME2 2AH.

All are welcome to attend whether IWA members or not, and we look forward to seeing you there.

In the event of any change in the Covid regulations necessitating the cancellation of the meeting, please check the IWAKES page on the IWA website before attending the meeting.