Bembridge RNLI’s Open Day promises to be a fascinating and entertaining day out for all the family on Saturday 20th August.
From 11:00-16:30 the lifeboat station at Lane End will be open to allow visitors to view both the inshore and all weather lifeboats at close quarters and see the history of the lifeboat service on displays in the offshore boathouse. Members of the crew and Guild will be on hand to answer questions and explain how the lifeboats operate and respond in an emergency.
The RNLI shop will be open all day selling lifeboat gifts, clothing and souvenirs and there will be stalls selling books, jewellery and bric-a-brac, amongst other items, with sideshows and games on the green by the car park. The Lifeboat Guild members will be serving tea, coffee and refreshments from their stall, including homemade cakes, throughout the day.
From the viewing gallery in the boathouse or from the shore, visitors will be able to watch a planned demonstration launch and display of both lifeboats, with a simulated rescue at around 14:00 (Subject to operational availability).
In conjunction with the RNLI’s ‘Respect the Water’ campaign, the RNLI Sea Safety stand will be present with information on how to keep safe in a marine environment and the station’s Sea Safety Officer will be on hand to offer advice. There will also be a lifejacket ‘clinic’ for boat users to have their lifejackets inspected and checked for safety.
Bembridge Coastguard Rescue Team will also be attending the open day, allowing visitors to get an understanding of the work they do alongside the RNLI.
In the boathouse, kids will be able to dress up in junior lifeboat crew kit and meet ‘Stormy Stan, the lifeboat man’. Also, perhaps become involved in the lifeboats through the junior ‘Storm Force’ membership scheme.
Former Bembridge Lifeboat coxswain Martin Woodward will also be on hand to sign copies of his excellent new book ‘Bembridge Lifeboat Station – A Village Commitment’. Lavishly illustrated with photographs, the book chronicles the history of the lifeboat service at Bembridge, from the early days of the ‘pulling’ lifeboats to the ‘high-tech’ craft of today, together with accounts of some of the notable rescues over the years. Signed copies will be available at £8.95, with 100% of all proceeds going directly towards supporting the RNLI.
The event is entirely free, but all proceeds from donations, RNLI sales and refreshments will go directly towards helping to save lives at sea.
