Events

The Station Open Day Sunday August 1st 2004

The crew of the Poole Lifeboat Station hold an Open Day each year. As well as the boats being open for the public to see over them, there are lots of other things going on. Approximately every hour the two boats give short demonstrations of rescues. There are a number of stalls and displays around the boathouse. The Coastguard and RNLI Beach Rescue have displays of their equipment. There is a tombola, a raffle, bacon butties, tea & coffee, cakes & things, ropework demonstrations, and a children's quiz.

This year's Open day was very busy and we had a Meridian Tv with us filming this year we did not have a real "shout" until 10pm in the evening,both boats were launched to an overdue yacht from poole Yacht Club,a concerned wife raised the alarm.The ALB searched Poole Bay and the ILB searched the harbour and located the yacht at anchor in South Deep.One of the ILB crew lent the yachtsman his mobile phone so he could call his wife and put her mind at rests,both boats returned to station.

We were delighted this year to have Christian Kosiol, the German model boat builder, with us for the Open Day. He brought his model of Poole Lifeboat Station's previous boat the Brede Class "Inner Wheel". and a paddling pool! All will be explained by looking at the photos below it was great opportunity for the visitors to have ago at being a Coxswain of a lifeboat, It was a nervous time for Christian as it had taken some 1000 hours to build the model and it is his baby! The children particularly enjoyed the crewman on the for deck who squirted water and doused the fire.

Stuart Newcombe did a brilliant flare demonstration on the pontoon and even roped in Meridian Tv reporter "Melanie James" to participate.

And there was pirates ashore! who ambushed the crew and made them walk the plank the biggest splash of the day came from the Coxswain who for a princely sum of £40.00 bidded by a passing pleasure boat waiting for the bridge.

The purpose of the Open day is to give members of the public a chance to see what goes on behind the scenes. It is an opportunity for us to promote the work that we do and also to raise a few bob for the Lifeboat Station and to have some fun.

Pictures from this years Open Day (click on the thumbnails below to view each picture)