The RNLI’s Inshore Lifeboat Centre will hold its special bicentenary open day in celebration of the RNLI’s 200th anniversary on Sunday 26th May. Between 10:30 and 15:00, RNLI volunteers will carry out guided tours of the state-of-the-art factory in Clarence Road, East Cowes where most of the lifesaving charity’s inshore lifeboats are built and maintained. Glyn Ellis, Inshore Lifeboat Centre Business Operations Manager, said :
“Come along and meet the staff who build the lifeboats and the see how the lifeboats are made during a day of family fun. “This year’s ILC Open Day is cause for special celebration as the RNLI marks 200 years of saving lives at sea. It’s a chance to commemorate our brave crews past and present, celebrate the world-class lifesaving organisation we are today and 146,000 lives saved, and inspire the crew, supporters and volunteers of tomorrow”.
The Island’s Lord Lieutenant Mrs Susie Sheldon will officially declare the day open at 10:30. The public can walk round the site or have a guided tour and take part in a Lifeboat Naming Ceremony of a new D class Lifeboat at 13:00 where the donors officially name the vessel before the lifeboat gets blessed, an emotional and humbling experience. 
Youngsters will meet RNLI mascot Stormy Stan, learn how to tie marine knots, get their faces painted, have lifejackets checked and watch afloat lifeboat demonstrations in the marina. A programme of live entertainment includes musical interludes from the Sea Shanty Choir The Slipshod Singers, the Cowes Concert Band, The ILC’s own Ukulele band and the famous Medina Marching band. Representatives from emergency services on the Island include HM Coastguard and Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service. Visitors can look around the Island’s RNLI heritage and visitors centre, opened by HRH Princess Anne in 2018, have a photo taken in the D class and meet the Face to Face team. Everybody is welcome. Entry is free.
Sadly no celebration from many, just disgust that anything unwanted and illegal is not taken back to the shores of the EU, whence it came from. Eventually it would get the message or run out of money.
With the so called ‘in poverty’ now living a better life than the first RNLI crews on the Island could ever envisage, even for the wealthy, then the UK is now a magnet to the worlds needy, and being kind, or naive, will come as it now has started at a very great price for the British, and not only materially or financially.
So imo no party poppers here.
To think that my old Mother used to bake cakes to raise funds for the RNLI. I would never ever give to anyone helping bring illegal costly, unknown beings into the UK.
If an individual or group of persons did so, they would rightly be done for people trafficing
When woman are raped, and people shot, stabbed, acid attacked or just can’t find a home or afford the rent then remember WHO helped create modern British society and imo don’t give a bean EVER again.
They are volunteers.They rescue people whether they are white, brown, British or foreign, rich or poor.
They will even rescue thick racist scumbags like you.