The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) Weston-super-Mare will parade along Weston Sea Front on Sunday 10th of March 2024 at 4:30 PM. This grand event is a celebration of the Honorary Freedom of the Town recently granted to the RNLI Weston-super-Mare, coinciding with the RNLI’s 200th-anniversary celebrations.
The motion to grant Honorary Freedom of the Town was passed at the Full Town Council Meeting on November 20th, 2023, acknowledging the exceptional contribution made by generations of local crews to saving life in the Bristol Channel.
Led by the Sea Cadet Band, the parade will depart from the lifeboat station on Knightstone Plaza and proceed along the seafront to the Grand Pier where Rear Admiral Ian Moncrieff, Deputy Lieutenant of Somerset, Robert Drewett, High Sheriff of Somerset, Councillor Ciaran Cronnelly, Mayor and Councillor John Crockford-Hawley, Deputy Mayor will take the salute by the pier entrance.
Cllr Ciaran Cronnelly, expressed his enthusiasm for this event, stating, “RNLI Weston-super-Mare is an incredible organisation that has saved countless lives for well over 140 years, and as a town, we owe them a massive debt of gratitude. Granting the RNLI Freedom is the greatest honour a town can bestow.”
The Mayor continued, “I’d encourage all members of the public to come and watch and to show their appreciation for the RNLI’s life-saving work. Later that day, I’ll officially sign the scrolls, in the crew’s presence, confirming the grant of freedom.”
Chris Ware, the Operations Manager at Weston RNLI said, “The whole Weston-super-Mare RNLI family are really looking forward to formally receiving the immense honour of the Freedom of our hometown, which supports us so well in everything we do.”
He continued, “At the event, we will have members of our current crew, fundraisers, and retired crew, supported as always by our family and friends. Also taking part will be lifeboat colleagues from our central support team and flank stations such as Barry Dock and Burnham-on-Sea. In the spirit of the RNLI 200 celebrations, we will commemorate our past, celebrate what we do today, and hopefully inspire the next generation of volunteers in Weston.”
Deputy Mayor John Crockford-Hawley, who wrote the official history of Weston Lifeboat added “We all look forward to the day when our lifeboat crew returns to their historic home on Birnbeck Pier”
This memorable celebration will include a sail- past from local lifeboats and promises to be a heart-warming and inspiring occasion for the entire community.