Whitby RNLI lifeboat

Did you spot the Holmfirth tractor run yesterday? They have been kindly raising funds for Whitby RNLI. After meeting them at the pier we had the pleasure of showing them around the lifeboat station.

The Holmfirth Charity Tractor Run set off yesterday to Whitby raising funds for Whitby RNLI along the way.

We’d love it if some of you could join us to greet them as they arrive tomorrow afternoon at the bandstand at 1pm.

There are lots of ways you can volunteer for Whitby RNLI, to help support the station.

We are currently looking for a lifeboat visits team member to expand our team and help with visits from clubs and schools.

Please share with anyone you think would be great at sharing our key safety messages in a fun and engaging way with young people.

More info:

Whitby RNLI are looking for a Lifeboat Visits Team Member. | RNLI The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The....

Our water safety team will be at this event so please come along and say hello if you’re there.

This is a great opportunity to find out more about all the different community groups in Whitby.

It is through working together and sharing experiences and knowledge that we can ensure that water based activities are as safe as possible. We have a great relationship with the rowing and yacht clubs in town who will also be there.

It’s free to attend and lots of fun for all the family

SHOUT OUT

Have you anything planned this weekend?
Want to do something fun and free to enter?
Does your family want to try new activities, games, sports?
A chance to try new things, with a chance of winning prizes and competitions

Then come along to the big Whitby community day at the rugby club this Sunday from 12:00.

Whitby Beach Sweep North Yorkshire Youth Sea Swim Yorkshire Whitby Community Network Whitby Civic Society Whitby Coastal Rowing Club Whitby Golf Club Whitby Jets Basketball Club RFU North Club Support Whitby Yacht Club - UK Pizza Pals Community Pizzeria CIC Dessert Box Whitby
Whitby Town Football Club Fylingdales Cricket Club Whitby Friendship Amateur Rowing Club

We thought you might like to see some photos of the decals, bearing the names of your loved ones out at sea in the sunshine.

These shots were taken by our press officer Ceri Oakes during Wednesday’s training session.

Our all weather, Shannon class lifeboat 13-49 has just over 10,000 names on board. We love hearing more about the people behind those names and meeting some of you who kindly donated to the Launch a Memory scheme.

Last night our crew member Ryan captured these amazing aerial shots of our weekly training exercise.

Both Whitby RNLI lifeboats were out on the exercise which involved the all-weather lifeboat, Lois Ivan towing a vessel into the harbour.

Our press officer Ceri was also out with a camera so there will be more photos and some footage to follow.

With temperatures rising at last on the North Yorkshire coast, the RNLI have issued some safety advice.

Take a read if you’re planning to visit the beach

RNLI issues safety advice as temperatures continue to rise in the North and East | RNLI Today, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is issuing a safety warning as the weather continues to get hotter. With temperatures hitting the high 20s in the North and North East later this week, the coast is set to be extremely busy.

Whitby RNLI were paged today just minutes before the start of the bicentenary church service at St Mary’s.

While many of the crew attended the service celebrating 200 years of the RNLI and commemorating those who have lost their lives at sea, three of the crew were aboard the inshore lifeboat.

Read more: https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2024/june/23/whitby-rnli-paged-minutes-before-bicentenary-church-service

Our wreath has arrived ready for tomorrow’s Bicentenary service at St Mary’s Church, where we will remember those who have lost thier lives endeavouring to save others and celebrate 200 years of the RNLI.

We are very pleased to let you all know that this morning the permanent metal Launch a Memory signs are being installed at the lifeboat station.

These signs are exact replicas of the decals on the lifeboat so you can view your loved one’s names up close at any time, there is a QR code to scan to help you locate the name.

The station is manned Monday to Friday between 9-5 but visitors may view the signs via the gate at any time.

Please note there is no public access to the pontoon where the lifeboat lies afloat.

Just a reminder, if you are attending our Bicentenary church service on Sunday, there is no parking on the Abbey Plain, please use the nearest public car parks.

3pm, Sunday at St Mary’s Church in Whitby - all welcome.

Just before our weekly training session, the inshore lifeboat launched this afternoon to reports of people cut off by the tide at Ravenscar.

Luckily it was a false alarm and the lifeboat crew were stood down.

Our advice for anyone walking on the beach is:

- Always check the tide times

- Carry a means of calling for help

- Know your exit points and how long it will take to reach them

In a coastal emergency dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard

https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2024/june/19/rnli-lifeboat-launched-to-ravenscar-tide-cut-off

If you’ve visited Whitby RNLI lifeboat museum recently you may have spotted this larger than life character…

Billy, a 2m model crew member was used as a fundraising aid in the 1960s and has been gifted back to the RNLI

We would love to hear from you if you know the existence of any other “Billies” or if you have any memories or photos of an RNLI Billy in your area.

Read more about Billy’s story: https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2024/june/18/the-rnli-billies-where-are-they-now

The volunteer crew were still smiling this morning despite spending the night at sea on a search operation.

Full story: https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2024/june/17/overnight-search-operation-for-whitby-rnli-crew

Congratulations to our museum curator and Launch Authority Neil Williamson who is awarded a BEM in the King’s birthday honours list today.

Well done from all of us at Whitby RNLI Neil!

Read more: https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2024/june/14/neil-williamson-recognised-for-service-to-the-rnli-in-kings-birthday-honours

3rd Whitby Rainbows got a little more than they bargained for when they visited Whitby Lifeboat Station last week, they got to see the crew launch the lifeboat for real!

https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2024/june/13/lifeboat-launches-during-rainbows-whitby-rnli-visit

⭐️ Whitby RNLI Raft Race - Expressions of Interest ⭐️

Plans are afoot for a raft race in Whitby harbour as part of our annual Flag Weekend celebrations on 3rd August 2024.

So that we can get an idea of the levels of interest please could you comment below if you might like to take part.

If we get enough interest we will send out more information and an entry form very soon.

So if you’re ready to take on the challenge let us know!

We are delighted to share with you this video of our naming ceremony for Lois Ivan 13-49.

The footage was kindly filmed and edited by Paul Wilson

We are sure you’ll agree it was worth the wait!

https://youtu.be/QdVexUpe

NAMING CEREMONY OF 13-49 Naming Ceremony and Service of Dedication of the Whitby Shannon class lifeboat 13-49 Lois-Ivan on Saturday 1st June 2024. ( On a very windy day).

A great effort from Whitby Coastguard this weekend who undertook a stretcher carry from Sandsend to Whitby, with a rope display along the way to show off the skills of their volunteers. Well done team!

It was one year ago today that our all weather lifeboat Lois Ivan set off to Whitby from Poole! It’s flown by.

The day has finally arrived, our crew are currently preparing to embark on their passage to Whitby from the RNLI college in Poole, Dorset.

The passage will take several days and is an excellent chance for the volunteers to become even more familiar with the new Shannon class lifeboat.

The plan is to arrive in Whitby at 13.49 on Sunday, which is the operational number on the side of the lifeboat.

All of our volunteers here in Whitby wish the crew a safe and enjoyable passage.

There are plans to hold an event later in the year for people to view the name's of loved ones up close and we will provide updates on this as soon as possible.

Please note that in the coming weeks the lifeboat will be at sea daily as the rest of the crew undergo intensive training, we don't want anyone to be disappointed if they make a special trip to Whitby to see the lifeboat, so we recommend waiting until later in the year to visit the station. We thank you for your understanding.

Once the lifeboat is on station full time, there will be signs featuring replicas of the decals where you can find the name of your loved one, and you'll be able to see the lifeboat in the water from the lifeboat station and around the harbour.

We invite you to join us for an RNLI bicentenary service at St Mary’s Church in Whitby on Sunday 23 June.

St Mary’s church sits atop Whitby’s east cliff, over looking the often wild North Sea - the perfect setting to reflect on 200 years of the RNLI.

The church will have seen many lifeboats make their way out of the harbour over the years, thankfully most often returning with crew, and casualties safely aboard.

The ceremony will include a wreath laying as well as volunteers from the RNLI reading out the names of lives lost at sea from Whitby, Robin Hoods Bay, Staithes and Runswick crews.

All are welcome to join us to honour those who have lost their lives at sea in service for the RNLI.

These days, thanks to advances in technology and the state of the art equipment available, our lifeboat crew are much safer than the days of the old rowing lifeboats.

We will remember the bravery of crew both past and present.

The service will be led by the Whitby RNLI Chaplain, Rev Michael Gobbett and begins at 3pm.

This is part of a year of events to commemorate, celebrate and inspire in the RNLI’s 200th year.

The father of one of our volunteer crew members has just set off on a 766 mile journey through Europe in his wheelchair, to raise funds for Whitby RNLI.

Best of luck on your adventure Bash!

https://gofund.me/0d9d8999

Today the RNLI 200 scroll reached Whitby, four of our volunteers were proud to add their names to the growing list, representing the many people that make it possible for the RNLI to save lives at sea.

Read more: https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2024/june/05/rnli-200-scroll-reaches-whitby

Tomorrow at 3.30pm the RNLI’s 200th anniversary scroll will arrive at Whitby Lifeboat Station.

The scroll is making its way around all 238 lifeboat stations in the UK.

It will be signed by four representatives from the RNLI in Whitby including water safety and fundraising.

You are very welcome to join us to see the scroll being signed.

If you are in Whitby on Sunday give our friends at Whitby Coastguard a few words of encouragement if you spot them, they are raising funds for the local church.

The celebrations have continued for Whitby RNLI volunteers and their families this afternoon. This time the sun shone as they enjoyed a meal at Sneaton Castle in Whitby to celebrate the official naming of the lifeboat.

Station manager Barry Brown, who organised the event said: ‘It’s great to see the crew and their families come together as one crew and enjoy what has been a fantastic weekend that will go down in Whitby’s station history.’

Despite the wild and windy weather in Whitby, the naming ceremony was a great success yesterday.

We will be sharing the full video from the ceremony once it has been edited.

Read all about it here: https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2024/june/02/naming-ceremony-a-success-for-whitby-rnli

The crew have been down bright and early polishing the boat for todays naming ceremony