Pictures: Ilfracombe celebrates the RNLI’s 200th birthday in style

The community turned out in force at the weekend to help Ilfracombe lifeboat volunteers mark the 200th anniversary of the RNLI – and in best lifeboat tradition, also interrupted by an emergency callout!

The charity itself marked its 200th birthday on March 4, while Ilfracombe RNLI had organised a two day celebration for the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, March 16-17, with a special photo opportunity too.

The crews and their families, decked out in RNLI yellow, were joined by people from across the town for a large group picture spelling out ‘RNLI 200’ on Capstone Hill at the seafront.

Above: A drone shot of the proceedings. Credit Sam Walls

Meanwhile, Sunday’s event with local author Ann Cleaves for the launch of her new book almost didn’t go to plan when the attending RNLI crew members’ pagers went off for an emergency shout.

Meanwhile, a wet Saturday did not put off the crowd who turned out for the iconic photo at Capstone, with people standing on the characters mown into the hillside by the North Devon Council parks team.

It has become something of a town tradition – people spelled out the word ‘Peace’ after the end of the Second World War and also gathered for a group photo on the occasion of the late Queen’s jubilee and the King’s Coronation.

Jo Bolton, chair of the Ilfracombe Lifeboat group said "It was a really wonderful occasion, with so many people coming out to show their appreciation of the RNLI even though the weather really was against us.

“The yellow of the people of Ilfracombe on Capstone Hill, brightened up the wettest of days!"

As part of Saturdays celebrations, the lifeboat station by the harbour was open to visitors throughout the morning, plus JillyBee BeachArt created a unique and beautiful piece of sand art in the Harbour to commemorate RNLI 200.

Above: Work by JillyBee BeachArt. Credit Simon Ellery

On Sunday, Ann Cleeves was at the Landmark to launch the paperback of her latest crime thriller The Raging Storm, set in North Devon. The book features a lifeboat callout and is dedicated to RNLI Ilfracombe.

Ann had asked for two members of the Ilfracombe lifeboat crew to join her on stage to talk about real-life rescues on the North Devon coast.

Her husband was saved from a desperate situation by their local lifeboat some 40 years ago, which is why the RNLI is a cause so close to Ann's heart.

But in best RNLI tradition, the pagers of attending crew members Stuart Carpenter and Gillian Cole went off just as things were about to get underway.

A yacht had been seen in some difficulties near Lynmouth and the Coastguard had asked for urgent assistance.

Gillian and Stuart had a tense few moments waiting to see how many of Ilfracombe's crew would get to the station in time. If enough could not get to the station, would have to leave Ann to it.

Fortunately, enough volunteers arrived so the all-weather lifeboat, the Barry and Peggy High Foundation, could be launched and go to the rescue of the yacht, so the book launch went ahead as planned.

Above: Author Ann Cleaves with Stuart Carpenter and Gillian Cole 

While Stuart was talking to the sell-out crowd at the Landmark, his pager went off once more. Fortunately, he was able to reassure the audience this was the alert the lifeboat was returning to station, having safely rescued the stricken yacht.

Lifesavers have been based at Ilfracombe almost as long as the RNLI has existed, with the town’s first lifeboat stationed ta the harbour in 1828.

The service became part of the RNLI in 1866 and welcomed its first motorised lifeboat in 1936. The lifeboat house used to be on the pier, where the aquarium is today and until relatively recent times, the boat would be towed by tractor along the quay to the water, until the current lifeboat station was built at the harbour.