On this day (March 4) in 1824, an RNLI crew was born at Lyme Regis, and the crew are celebrating its birthday today with some special events planned.

Since 1824 Lyme Regis lifeboats launched 1,651 times and 324 lives were saved. In West Dorset lifeboats launched on 5,343 occasions and 1,282 lives were saved. Throughout the southwest, since 1824, RNLI lifeboats launched 55,912 times saving 14,967 lives.

A Service of Thanksgiving to mark 200 years of the RNLI is taking place at Westminster Abbey. It will be attended by representatives from RNLI lifesaving communities around the UK and Ireland, including six men and women from the RNLI in Lyme Regis

One of those attending, volunteer lifeboat operations manager, Mark Colley, said: “Some 15 lifeboats of all shapes and sizes have served Lyme Regis and we are proud to have followed those hundreds of volunteers before us in the tradition of saving lives at sea.

“Every one of our volunteers is regarded as a member of the crew and there is a real family atmosphere at our lifeboat station. Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis starts this year on July 27th and just one of the events will be a reunion of former crew members. We are trying to contact as many former crew members as possible, and if they would like to join us to celebrate 200 years they should email richardhorobin@googlemail.com”

Founded in a London tavern on 4 March 1824 following an appeal from Sir William Hillary, who lived on the Isle of Man and witnessed many shipwrecks, the RNLI has continued saving lives at sea throughout the tests of its history, including tragic disasters, funding challenges and two World Wars.

Two centuries have seen vast developments in the lifeboats and kit used by the charity’s lifesavers – from the early oar-powered vessels to today’s technology-packed boats, which are now built in-house by the charity; and from the rudimentary cork lifejackets of the 1850s to the full protective kit each crew member is now issued with.

Throughout its bicentenary year, the charity is running events and activities to remember its history.