200-year scroll signed by all RNLI stations comes to the Island

A scroll, being signed by all RNLI stations in Great Britain and Ireland, as part of the charity’s 200th anniversary, visited the Island last week.

Closely guarded by Chris Smith, the RNLI’s 200th Team Fund driver, it visited the Inshore Lifeboat Centre (ILC), East Cowes, and stations at Cowes, Bembridge and Yarmouth.

ILC apprentice, Harvey Ellison, with support and guidance of boat-builder, Sam Ticehurst designed and built a waterproof, shockproof case to carry the scroll, which is recording pledged signatures to ‘Save Lives at Sea’ on behalf of more than 300 communities.

The scroll’s spindle heads were made by ILC boatbuilder, David Martin, using pine salvaged from a flagpole at the first lifeboat station, Ramsey, on the Isle of Man.

The first pledges were signed at a service of thanksgiving on March 4, by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Dean of Westminster Abbey.

Harvey was rewarded for his hard work by signing the scroll along with ILC operations manager, Glyn Ellis, and chairman of the Isle of Wight RNLI Lifeboat Board, Robin Ebsworth.

The scroll then moved on to Cowes RNLI, where operations manager, Mark Southwell, had arranged a ceremony involving members of the crew and support staff. The scroll was signed by Hugh Robotham, Cowes Station chairman, Josephine Hinson, Cowes Guild chairman, Fran Bracken, Cowes shop manager, Graham White, water safety officer and Barry Myland, recently retired lead visits officer.

At Bembridge more than 60 members of the guild, crew, visits, education and water safety teams witnessed the reading of the pledge by Robin Ebsworth, the chairman of the Lifeboat Management Group.

It was signed by five station representatives, Dave Marshall, Malai Stimson, Colin and Di Hawes and John Attrill, plus branch chairmen, Stuart Dyer, for Shanklin, and Deborah Sijlnans von Eldik, for Seaview.

Deborah Meadows then cut the 200-year birthday cake and everyone present was encouraged to sign a local scroll she had masterminded.

On Friday, the scroll reached Yarmouth, with the crew’s youngest volunteer, Alex Pimm, signing it along with fund-raiser, Pat Dawson, and RNLI shop volunteer, Janice Aslin. Janet is the niece of Eric and Susan Hiscock, who the Yarmouth boat is named after. Edward Nicholson, chairman of the Back of the Wight, and branch member, Dick Downes, also signed.

The RNLI’s original scroll is preserved in the archives of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, which is where this one will reach in October after its final signing journey to the Isle of Man, where the organisation first started.