Teddington RNLI takes part in The Lord Mayor’s Show
RNLI London lifeboat crew and beach lifeguards from Kent marched through the streets of London alongside the charity’s Shannon class lifeboat on Saturday 14 November, in the 800th anniversary of the Lord Mayor’s Show.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s (RNLI) newest all-weather Shannon class lifeboat lead volunteers through the capital amongst the 155 floats which took part in the traditional procession held on Saturday 14 November.
Volunteer RNLI lifeboat crew from Teddington, Chiswick, Tower and Gravesend paraded through the capital alongside the charity’s lifeguards and fundraisers to raise awareness of the RNLI’s London lifeboats, which operate a 24/7 search and rescue service on the River Thames.
Jon Chapman, Teddington crew member, and Tim Ody, Teddington Lifeboat Operations Manager, braced the unpleasant weather in full protective equipment to accompany the spectacular RNLI procession.
Jon said ‘Attending the Lord Mayor’s Show was a totally inspiring experience. There were large crowds all the way along the 3-mile route – everyone smiling, cheering and very much enjoying being part of such a great spectacle.’
‘People were clapping furiously and I must have given hundreds of high fives. It was humbling to see the enthusiasm that many have towards our great organisation.’
‘Thank you to all those who made our participation possible, to the crew and volunteers who took part and to the thousands of fantastic spectators who gave us a day we will never forget.’
City goers watched in awe as the RNLI’s state of the art Shannon class lifeboat passed through the streets of the City of London during the procession.
Earlier in the day, E class lifeboats from Tower and Chiswick escorted the new Lord Mayor along the River Thames as he travelled downstream towards Mansion House in QRB Gloriana during the river pageant.
RNLI lifeguards from Kent swapped their usual surroundings of sun sand and sea for the day as they marched through London in their iconic red and yellow uniforms while handing out vital safety information to the gathering crowds.
Last year, London lifeboat crews from Teddington, Chiswick and Tower rescued a total of 231 people, which is enough to fill around two-and-a-half of the capital’s iconic double-decker buses – and they saved 27 lives on the River Thames.
The RNLI national campaign ‘Mayday’ will be launching in London on Tuesday 26 April 2016 and they are looking for volunteers to help them collect all over the capital. If you are interested and want to find out more, please contact volunteering@rnli.org.uk or visit http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/rnli-mayday-team-7963560421 to sign up for your spot.