Fowey RNLI Hosts Water Safety and RNLI Scroll Relay Day

On Saturday, April 6, 2024, the Fowey RNLI lifeboat station is set to play a pivotal role in the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s (RNLI) 200th anniversary celebrations by hosting a special Water Safety & Scroll Relay Day.

This event not only marks a significant milestone in the history of the RNLI but also commemorates 165 years of dedicated lifesaving service by the Fowey RNLI.

As part of the RNLI’s 200th anniversary Connecting our Communities scroll relay, a specially crafted scroll will arrive at the Fowey lifeboat station. The scroll’s journey, akin to an Olympic Torch-style relay, began at a commemorative service in Westminster Abbey on March 4 and will conclude in the Isle of Man in October. The Fowey event will feature the first scroll signing ceremony, honouring both the local station’s 165th and the RNLI’s 200th anniversaries.

From 10 am to 3 pm, attendees will have the opportunity to engage in various activities aimed at promoting water safety. Highlights include tours of Fowey’s all-weather Trent class lifeboat, man overboard recovery demonstrations by the D class crew in Fowey harbour, and educational talks on cold water shock and the life-saving ‘float to live’ technique.

Additionally, the event will focus on the importance of lifejacket maintenance. Experts from TMS, based in Par, will offer demonstrations on servicing and checking lifejackets—a vital annual task for all sailors. TMS will also sell spare parts and provide a service for booking in lifejackets for professional servicing, with a collection point at Fowey Chandlery once serviced.

The day will be enriched with musical performances by The Press Gang, who will entertain the crowd with shanty songs live at the station in the afternoon. The schedule includes lifejacket maintenance sessions, demonstrations by the coastguard and water safety teams, and appearances by Stormy Stan.

The culmination of the day’s events will be a ceremonial launch of the all-weather lifeboat at 3 pm, carrying the RNLI scroll to Mevagissey. Upon arrival, a special signing ceremony will take place on the quay, facilitated by representatives from the Mevagissey RNLI shop.

This event, subject to weather and operational needs, promises to be a memorable day for the community, combining education, commemoration, and celebration. For those unable to attend, the RNLI offers an interactive map to follow the scroll’s journey across the UK at rnli.org/200relay.