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Welcome to Poole lifeboat station's website

 
29 May 2010
A celebration to commemorate the Poole lifeboat Thomas Kirkwright which served Poole from 1938-1962 and was also one of the "Dunkirk little ships" that went to Normandy 70 years ago. You can view Thomas Kirkwright at the Lifeboat museum, the pink building at the east end of the quay.
8 August 2010
Our lifeboat station open day is on August 8th this year from 11am through to 4.30pm on the quay by the lifting bridge.
Admission free and lots to do and see for all the family.
 

For more details on any of these events click here

 

Poole RNLI Lifeboat Station has its busiest year since 1995
RNLI statistics released today show that Poole Lifeboat Station was the busiest coastal station in the UK and RoI with a total of 200 ‘shouts’, the highest number of launches for the station since 1995. The volunteer crews rescued 242 people of whom 26 were under the age of 18 years of age.
Read more...
We are a charity. If you wish to support and sustain us at Poole Lifeboat station You can donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/Poolelifeboat all money donated will got to fund volunteer crew training costs, help replenish equipment and will go to keeping the Poole Lifeboats afloat, ready to Save lives at Sea.

Strike or Spare
Strike Or Spare – a bowling extravaganza, raising funds to save lives at sea.

Bowplex Tower Park recently supported Poole RNLI Lifeboat Station for SOS Day 2010 by hosting a special charity bowling evening at Bowlplex Tower Park. This is the second year RNLI volunteers have worked with the national leisure operator, raising over £1,700 for SOS Day in 2009.

For all media enquiries, please contact:
Frances D’Ardenne, Brand and Public Relations Manager
Tel: 01202 638214 Email: frances@bowlplex.co.uk

SOS DAY JANUARY 29 2010

Support Our Station

Poole Lifeboat Station is asking people to support the RNLI and its lifesaving work by joining in with the RNLI’s biggest fundraising day, SOS Day, on Friday 29 January and it’s not to late to join in the fun.

Volunteer Coxswain Jonathan Clark said: ‘I have been a volunteer for over 27 years and I can only do what I do with the support of the local community, my employer and family.’ He added: ‘SOS Day is a great opportunity for people to have fun and in turn help us to keep our boats afloat.’

Traditionally, supporters have organised fundraising events taking inspiration from the SOS acronym. Previous events have included Scoff our Scones, Sample our Sausages, Shiraz or Sauvignon, SOS quizzes and Strolls on Sunday, themed dress-down days at school or college like Spots Or Stripes but people can do anything they want to raise cash.

You can log onto www.rnli.org.uk/sos for inspiration and to see what’s going on in the area.
At school, work, down the pub, with your friends and family, help us to save lives at sea and if it’s too cold to get out and about why not Shell Out Silver and donate whatever you can on the Poole Lifeboat Station justgiving page at http://www.justgiving.com/Poolelifeboat.

Poole RNLI Lifeboat crews take an early bath !

Poole lifeboat crew joined in the fun at the annual New Years day Blue Boar Bath tub race in Poole Quay.
Over 20 “bathtubs” took to the water on a very cold, bright bracing day. The race has been held regularly for many years and is a certain cure for any hangovers.
The vessels course is from Fish shambles steps along down the quay to the Custom House steps. The vessels have to be constructed with a bathtub and propelled by single ended paddles. Read more...

Flotilla of light procession
Recently on Poole Quay Poole lifeboat crew took the cup for the best "working boat " in the flotilla of light procession on Poole Quay.
"Rookie" the reindeer made lots of new friends and a lot of fun was had by all.

Reindeer Run for charity at Moors Valley Country Park
The annual Reindeer run was held at Moors Valley Country park. Many runners wear something festive on the run and the finisher's have a glass of mulled wine and a mincepie. Although the weather was wet this year Rookie the RNLI reindeer and volunteer marshall Lily Clark were at their posts.

Unveiling of RNLI memorial.

Nearly 125 years ago, James Hughes, a crew member at Poole lifeboat station, tragically died when he fell under the launching carriage during a lifeboat exercise on 9 October 1884. James is one of over 85 in the RNLI’s South division and one of a total of 778 people commemorated on the new RNLI memorial from all corners of the UK and RoI. RNLI lifeboat crews and supporters observed a minute’s silence at 12.20pm on Thursday 3 September when the new memorial was unveiled. The silence was a sign of respect and gratitude to the many people connected with the charity who have lost their lives helping to save others at sea. Read more on the story

A proud and emotional day … and a lightning launch

Saturday 6 June was a big day for all those associated with Poole lifeboat station with the naming ceremony and dedication of the new B class Atlantic 85 lifeboat.
The Atlantic was named after Sgt Bob Martin, who was ex-Durham light Infantry and long-term supporter of the RNLI at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea.
read more about the ceremony and view pictures from the day.
You can read more about the boat here and about the boats construction in this story of the Poole and District branches visit to the Inshore Lifeboat Centre.

Check it out

Poole lifeboat station has an active sea safety team headed up by Lifeboat Sea Safety Officer Chris Holloway. Part of their brief is to carry out SEA Checks and talks on sea safety to individuals and clubs, providing advice on man overboard techniques, lifejackets, flares and many other safety topics.

If you are a boat owner and would like a SEA Check with a free independent check of safety equipment, an opportunity to discuss safety matters, your copy of the check form (which may attract further benefits) along with the benefit of knowing you are helping the RNLI in its core activity of saving lives at sea, then please contact Chris Holloway on 077 1286 8115.

Remember these RNLI safety tips every time you venture out on the water:

• check your engine and fuel
• tell others where you are going
• carry some means of calling for help
• keep an eye on weather and tides.

Further information and advice on all aspects of sea safety can be obtained by calling the RNLI on 0800 328 0600, emailing seasafety@rnli.org.uk, or visiting the website at rnli.org.uk/seasafety.

Planning to go out to sea?

Understanding the Weather is one of the most important aspects of going out on the Sea, be well prepared and use the wealth of resources available on the Internet to help plan your trip.

Here's just a couple of useful links with weather information:-

The Met Office

RealTime Weather in Poole Harbour

To ensure boat owners don't make an unscheduled appearance in our "Shouts" section Coxswain Jonathan Clark would like to remind them of a few simple checks before putting to sea Read More.

Hero Worship

Here at the station we get tons of requests from journalist students to come out on an exercise and experience what it is like to be a crew member on one of the busiest lifeboats. Unfortunately we cannot say yes to everyone but we did say yes to Alana Lewis. Alana joined the crew on an exercise one Saturday morning with typical wet, wild lifeboat weather but she lived to tell the tale! Read her story here.

The Tyne Project

We have another update from Christian on his progress building a model of our Tyne class lifeboat. You'll see from the recent photographs and prior updates that an incredible amount of time goes into recreating the City of Sheffield with such detail and accuracy.

Poole rescue read by over 200,000 members

Poole lifeboat station recently featured in the Spring 2008 edition of the Lifeboat, the RNLI’s quarterly magazine for its members. Read the article or you can download a pdf version page 1, page 2.

Check out the main RNLI website at rnli.org.uk for more details of membership.

Have you been introduced to the crew yet ?

Read about some of the colourful characters that make up the crew here at Poole Lifeboat Station. Visit the crew pages by clicking the link above or by using the navigation bar at the top of the page.

Become a virtual RNLI lifeboat
crew member

The RNLI are encouraging the public to show their support by downloading a new virtual ‘lifeboat launch alerter’ from www.rnli.org.uk/pager.

People can become ‘virtual crew members’ from the comfort of their own homes or workplace by logging on and registering their details to receive a free ‘pager’ that displays on their computer desktop when a lifeboat is launched. Follow this link for details

 

Postcards

We have a new selection of postcards on sale at 35p each, printed by the RNLI print room so all proceeds go to fund our station. Email us at ‘Contact us’ if you wish to buy any.
Poole lifeboat pin badges, sweatshirts and polo shirts are also available.


Familiar faces
Piers Baker has been producing a weekly cartoon strip "Stan, Eric and Quentin Too!" in aid of the RNLI for several years. Readers of the RNLI's Storm Force magazine will be familiar with some of the characters.

 

Volunteers

If anyone is interested in volunteering either for the crew or for any other aspect , click on the picture above for details.

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2010 launches (20 January)
2 ILB
0 ALB

 
2010
14 Jan
1220 The ILB launched following a report to a person in the water off Flag Head Chine from St Ann’s Hospital. As the crew reached the entrance to the harbour, a further report came in informing them that the woman had been recovered from the water by hospital staff and there was no need for them to continue. The crew returned to station at 1245.
9 Jan
1500 The first call out of 2010 for the inshore lifeboat crew occurred in near freezing conditions. In a NNE wind, gusting force 5, with the air temperature at 0.5ºC, a kayaker had called the Coastguard, reporting that he had capsized and was struggling to get back to Hamworthy. The ILB crew, suitably kitted in layers of thermal clothing, launched and found the kayaker with his kayak off Patchins Point. He had fortunately already changed into a dry set of clothing that he had with him. The lifeboat crew took him to Lake Pier before returning to station at 1550.

 
Summaries of earlier call outs in 2010 can be found here

 

2009 launches (31 December)
137 ILB
63 ALB

 
2009
30 Dec
1330 The last call out of 2009 was to a 5m speedboat adrift 3 miles off Branksome Chine with nobody onboard. A fishing boat skipper had found the vessel and the skipper was concerned about whether there was anyone in the water. The ILB met up with the fishing vessel and checked for any signs that the speedboat had been recently occupied. The vessel had no engine and was full of leaves so the conclusion was made that the vessel had been abandoned and slipped its moorings. The ILB crew towed the speedboat to Dolphin Haven and then returned to station at 1430
28 Dec
1130 A 4m Dory had broken down off the ferry terminal with one person onboard. The ILB towed the vessel back to baiter before returning to station at 1230.
26 Dec
1920 On Boxing Day evening, an elderly man was reported to be in the water off the quay. The ILB launched and recovered the man and brought him back to the station where he was handed over to paramedics and taken to Poole Hospital. The crew returned to their Christmas festivities at 2030.
17 Dec
1920 A yacht was on passage from Chichester to Falmouth but due to the weather conditions was seeking shelter in Poole Harbour. Due to the lack of knowledge, charts and navigational aids, the skipper and three crew called for assistance ½ mile east of Ballard Down. Portland Coastguard tasked the inshore lifeboat to escort them into Poole Quay Boat Haven. The volunteer crew then returned to station at 2130 to join in with the crew’s Christmas party at the station.
6 Dec
0930 While the ALB was out on a training exercise with a tug, the tug skipper spotted a capsized R19 sailing vessel with persons in the water. The ALB took 2 minutes to get on scene, by which time the people in the water had been picked up by a RIB. The casualties, who were shaken and cold, were then passed onto the ALB and placed in the aft cabin with blankets. One of the casualties was given oxygen as a precaution. Read more on the story
The ALB was then tasked to a 9m dismated yacht off the ferry terminal with four persons onboard. The ILB arrived and helped to gather the sail and mast from the water before the vessel was then towed by the ALB, again to Poole Yacht Club.
The ILB was then retasked to a third incident to a dory that had engine failure. Once on scene, the ILB towed the vessel back to the slipway near the lifeboat college. Both lifeboats returned to station by 1400
 
Summaries of earlier call outs in 2009 can be found here

 

Prior years' launches

1990
128
1991
111
1992
131
1993
181
1994
184
1995
232 a vintage year
1996
188
1997
167
1998
170
1999
142
2000
112
2001
193 including a dramatic rescue near the chain ferry,
2002
158
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009

History of the station

Would you like to find out more about the station's history? Read More

In 2001, Meridian TV made a documentary called 'Lifeboat', featuring the work of Poole lifeboat station. Watch the trailer in
Real Media format >>> High / Low
or Windows Media >>> High / Low
(with permission of the copyright owners)

 

 
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