The RNLI is celebrating 200 years of service with a service at Westminster Abbey amongst local events.

Since being founded on March 4, 1824 the volunteer agency has gone on to save over 144,000 people that have gotten into trouble.

RNLI Chief Executive, Mark Dowie, says: “It has been an honour and a privilege to be at the helm of the RNLI for the past five years, and to see the charity reach its bicentenary.

“For a charity to have survived 200 years based on the time and commitment of volunteers, and the sheer generosity of the public donating to fund it, is truly remarkable.

“It is through the courage and dedication of its incredible people that the RNLI has survived the tests of time, including tragic losses, funding challenges, two World Wars and, more recently, a global pandemic.

“Today, we mark the bicentenary of the RNLI. We remember the achievements and commitment of all those who have been part of the RNLI family over the past two centuries; we celebrate the world-class lifesaving service we provide today, based on our 200 years of learning, expertise and innovation, and we hope to inspire future generations of lifesavers and supporters who will take the RNLI into its next century and beyond.

“I am immensely grateful to everyone who is involved with the charity – our volunteers, supporters and staff.

“This is our watch and it is our role to keep our charity safe and secure so it can continue to save lives into the future, as we strive in our vision to save every one.”

At 11.30am today, the same time that the RNLI founding papers were signed representatives from across our charity will gathered at Westminster Abbey attending a Service of Thanksgiving.

WATCH the service here

The guests at this service will be a mixture of volunteers and staff from all areas of the RNLI including lifeboat stations, lifeguards, water safety, and fundraising, alongside donors, partners, a number of VIPs and dignitaries.

Cumbrian lifeboat crews are being represented with Alistair Graham and Ian Wrigley from St Bees RNLI, volunteers from Workington, Paul Heavyside from Barrow lifeboat station and other volunteers from stations in the county.

For those wanting to watch the service you can follow the link here to the RNLI website where you can find out more information about the charity and how you can donate, volunteer or buy items for its shop which includes its 200 anniversary memorabilia.

If you are unable to watch live, then the recording will be available until Monday, March 18.

Founded in a London tavern on 4 March 1824 following an appeal from Sir William Hillary, who lived on the Isle of Man and witnessed many shipwrecks, the RNLI has continued saving lives at sea throughout the tests of its history, including tragic disasters, funding challenges and two World Wars.

The RNLI’s lifesaving reach and remit has also developed over the course of 200 years.

At present, it operates 238 lifeboat stations around the UK and Ireland, including four on the River Thames, and has seasonal lifeguards on over 240 lifeguarded beaches around the UK.

It designs and builds its own lifeboats and runs domestic and international water safety programmes.

Barrow RNLI lifeboat station was founded in 1864 and in that time its crews have launched their lifeboats 1350 times and saved 367 lives.

Throughout the 160 years of Barrow lifeboats there has been a proud tradition of generations of the same families volunteering as lifeboat crew and in other supporting roles at the lifeboat station.

The first Barrow lifeboat was a 12 oared self-righting vessel and she was housed in a boathouse built on Roa Island at a cost of £240.

The current boathouse at Roa Island opened in 2001 and houses the all-weather lifeboat, ‘Grace Dixon’ and the inshore lifeboat, ‘Raymond and Dorothy Billingham’.

St Bees lifeboat station was founded in 1970 and crews have saved 71 lives, the station is 6 years off celebrating its 60 year of service.