RNLI 200th anniversary relay culminates in North Wales lifeboat flotilla

Volunteer Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) crews in North Wales have been performing an at-sea relay – passing a specially designed pennant flag from lifeboat to lifeboat along the coast – to mark the charity’s 200 years of saving lives at sea.

The event will culminate this Sunday [July 7] when all six classes of lifeboat that serve the North Wales coast will gather in a flotilla at the final stop on the relay, Moelfre.

As the pennant ends its journey, all-weather lifeboat classes Severn, Tamar and Shannon, and inshore lifeboats the D-Class, Atlantic 85 and Y-boat, which is a small inflatable ‘daughter boat’ stowed on some all-weather lifeboats, will all be in attendance.

Over two weekends across June, the flag has been passed, at sea, between lifeboats from the stations that protect the coastline of North Wales from Flint in the East to Porthdinllaen in the West, and it is set for the final leg of its journey on Sunday, when the pennant will be travelling from Trearddur Bay RNLI to Moelfre RNLI via Holyhead lifeboat.

The nine RNLI lifeboat stations involved are Flint, Rhyl, Llandudno, Conwy, Beaumaris, Moelfre, Holyhead, Trearddur Bay and Porthdinllaen.

After the relay, the pennant will be placed on permanent display at the Moelfre RNLI Seawatch Centre on Anglesey.

Chris Gaskin, RNLI Area Lifesaving Manager said:

‘The relay is a great way to mark the RNLI’s 200th anniversary year and to celebrate the volunteers that protect the coast of Wales.

‘Involving all of our lifeboat stations along the north coast of Wales ensures it is connecting all the lifesavers that give up their time to save lives at sea, and these communities will be able to look back fondly on the event in years to come.’