A special scroll holder and casket, both made on the Island, took centre stage at the RNLI’s 200th anniversary celebrations at Westminster Abbey on Monday. Other celebrations across the Island included a special church service, and youngsters invited to watch a lifeboat launch.

Representatives from the three RNLI stations on the Island – Cowes, Bembridge and Yarmouth – attended the ceremony in London. The scroll is part of a ‘linking event’ which will take it across the UK, including Northern Ireland, between now and October, where it will be signed by volunteers from all RNLI stations.

Glyn Ellis, operations manager of the RNLI inshore Lifeboat Centre (ILC), East Cowes, explained: “The Linking Event Scroll carry case was made by staff at the Inshore Lifeboat Centre.

“The project was led by Janine Groves who decided to make one from scratch. The spindle heads were made by boatbuilder David Martin, using salvaged pine from an old flagpole which came from Ramsey, the first lifeboat station on the Isle of Man.

“Harvey Ellison (ILC apprentice) and Sam Ticehurst (ILC boatbuilder) between them, with help from other members, designed and built the carry case. It will return to the Island on March 21 when it will be signed by the three RNLI station volunteers.”

His Royal Highness, The Duke of Kent, RNLI President was among 1,800 people attending the Thanksgiving Service at 11.30am, the same time the charity’s founding papers were created 200 years ago. At the end of the service, The Duke added his signature to the scroll, which has also been signed by the Dean of Westminster and the Archbishop of Canterbury.

A special service at Brook on Sunday, saw the small church packed. Organised by Edward Nicholson, chairman of the Back of the Wight branch, special guests included the Island’s Lord-Lieutenant, Susie Sheldon who is also president of the RNLI IW board, and High Sheriff, Dawn Haig-Thomas. Former Lord-Lieutenants Christopher Bland and Major-General Sir Martin White accompanied by Lady White attended as did Nigel Atkinson, Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire, together with representatives of all three Island stations and guilds.

The service was led by the Reverend Jackie Maw and IW Archdeacon, the Venerable Steve Daughtery, preached the sermon.

Martin Woodward, former Bembridge Lifeboat coxswain and marine historian, gave a short introduction to the lifeboats on the Island and Dave Kennett, former coxswain of Yarmouth Lifeboat shared his reflections on how the institution and the lifeboats have changed since he joined the crew in 1968. Amongst the hymns a new verse of Eternal Father, especially written to commemorate the bicentenary, was sung.

In Bembridge, 200 pupils from Ryde School and Bembridge CE Primary School waved flags in windy conditions at the launch of the Bembridge RNLI boat on Monday. The station, which has been part of the charity for 157 years was founded in 1867, and has, to date, launched lifeboats 2,398 times and saved 948 lives. Dressed for the occasion, the boathouses were adorned with more than 500 metres of bunting and about 900 flags.

Yarmouth RNLI also featured in a BBC report on Monday evening with Joe Lester, father of Coxwain Howard; Stuart Pimm and sons Richard and Alex and David Lemonius and son Pete all figured in the bulletin.

Mechanic Richard, who attended the service in London, said: “I had the privilege of celebrating our 200 years of existence, dedication and outstanding achievement at Westminster Abbey with fellow colleagues and volunteers in a once-in-a-lifetime service.

“We also remembered those who have lost their lives trying to rescue others in peril at sea.

“It was very humbling being part of this celebration, right down to all the friendly hellos, general kindness and conversations with total strangers I had, whilst walking through the centre of London in uniform. It has reminded me how much admiration and passion people of all walks of life still have for the charity and how important it is keep supporting it.

“We exist to save lives at sea no matter where you come from. We will always strive to be there. I am one of many lifeboat men to follow in their father’s footsteps and I’m so proud of what he achieved while in service.”

Since it was founded in 1824 the charity’s lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved more than 146,000 lives.