A VOLUNTEER for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's (RNLI) was honoured to be part of a unique relay-style event celebrating 200 years of the charity.
On Tuesday, March 19, the RNLI’s ‘Connecting our Communities’ event which sees a scroll, bearing the RNLI pledge, being passed through RNLI communities including lifeboat stations, lifeguard units and fundraising branches, visited Andover.
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The relay visited the home of RNLI volunteer Pat Williams, who signed the scroll.
Pat said: "As an education volunteer of 10 years or so I was proud to be able to sign, my name being number 80, below famous names such as the Archbishop of Canterbury, who signed after the Service of Dedication at Westminster Abbey earlier this month, and our Patron the Duke of Kent."
Over the course of seven months, the five-metre-long scroll will pass through 240 RNLI locations around the UK and Ireland before finishing its journey in October at Douglas on the Isle of Man, which was home to the RNLI’s founder, Sir William Hillary. By this time it will carry over 700 signatures.
The scroll began its journey on Monday, March 4, at a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey to mark the charity’s official 200 year anniversary, where it was signed by RNLI President, HRH The Duke of Kent, as well as the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Dean of Westminster, the RNLI’s Chair and the RNLI’s Chief Executive.
RNLI Associate Director, Anjie Rook, said: "The Connecting our Communities relay is one of the most significant events of the RNLI’s 200 year anniversary year as it’s all about our people.
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"For 200 years, it is people who have made the RNLI what it is, from our brave lifesavers who risk their lives to save others, to the committed fundraisers and generous donors who fund our lifesaving work.
"We asked our communities to express interest in participating in this event and we have been overwhelmed by the response – we’re thrilled to have representation from our stations, lifeguard units and fundraising branches across the UK and Ireland.
"Everything about the scroll, from the design and materials, to the wording printed on it and the locations it’s travelling to reflects the communities we serve.
"By the end of the relay we will have an important document which will become part of the charity’s history and a significant snapshot of the charity as it stands at 200 years old."
Ford is providing an electric zero-emission van to transport the scroll on its journey. When the seven-month-long journey is complete, the scroll will be displayed in the RNLI College in Poole, where the charity’s lifeboat crews and lifeguards are trained.
Founded 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 been saving lives at sea for 200 years.
Since the charity was founded, the charity’s lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
While much has changed in 200 years, two things have remained the same. The charity’s dependence on volunteers, who give their time and commitment to save others, and the voluntary contributions from the public which has funded the service for the past two centuries.
More information about the RNLI's 200 year anniversary can be found at rnli.org/about-us/our-history.
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