Ambition to visit 238 lifeboat stations

One of the joys of being part of a RNLI lifeboat station is meeting the visitors that it attracts. Many are raising funds for the charity that Saves Lives at Sea and 2024 sees the RNLI celebrating 200 years of service to those in trouble on the water. The visitors come from all walks of life and all ages and each comes with their own special story.

On Wednesday, August 29 Barnaby Blyth visited the lifeboat station in Rye Harbour and then the Church of the Holy Spirit at Rye Harbour to see the memorial tablet honouring the lives of the seventeen crew who lost their lives in 1928. He also was thrilled to see the churchyard memorial and asked lots of very interesting questions. He brought with him his father, Railton, and his grandparents who also were keen RNLI supporters.

Railton explains how Barnaby’s interest in the RNLI came about. “Having grown up in Kent, the RNLI always had a special place in my heart and I am hugely supportive of the work that they did. I moved away at eighteen to university and then laid down my roots in Wokingham, Berkshire where I met my wife Ruth and we had our two children Alexia and Barnaby. I retained a keen interest in the background of the tremendous courage of the charity, ensuring I always donated whenever I saw that bucket being held.

“Two years ago, Barnaby, then aged six, came home from school, aglow with enthusiasm about a lesson his incredible teacher Mrs Hewitson had taught them that day on the subject of the RNLI. Her passion and expertise had been infectious and Barnaby pleaded with me to visit some stations. And so our journey began, a Storm Force membership followed, as did a bedroom redecoration to reflect the RNLI, and it became Barnaby’s and my lifetime ambition to visit all 238 stations. During school holidays we will book nights away so that we can continue our tours and all travelling around the country will always include a visit to a station or two.

“Having purchased a number of books on the RNLI, Barnaby became intrigued by the Rye Harbour disaster of 1928 so, with nanny and pop in tow, we set out on Wednesday, August 28 to find out more. Following a visit to Rye Harbour station where Barnaby was treated to a special viewing of Hello Herbie II, we met you at the Church of the Holy Spirt where we were able to visit and pay our respects to the seventeen crew who perished on that fateful day at the memorial and by seeing the Manx stone tablet inside. You gave us the greatest gift of all, that of your time, to share with us the stories of that fateful night and the impact on the community. We then travelled to Winchelsea to view the beautiful stained glass memorial window at the Church of St Thomas the Martyr.

“The RNLI is so much more than Saving Lives at Sea, it is a community of incredible people, for the people, making a real difference in so many individuals journeys. At every station we have visited we have been met with such kindness and Barnaby has been made so welcome, allowing him to create memories that will last a lifetime. Recently, we returned home on a train from a Crystal Palace match, Barnaby wearing a replica kit at the time. He was asked by a fellow passenger what he liked about his football team and he immediately responded, ‘I like them but not as much as the RNLI’ from which a forty-five minute conversation about the organisation sprang.

“As parents we are so incredibly proud of Barnaby’s fundraising for the charity and his relentless thirst for knowledge in a world where there is so much pressure on young people to conform to a certain way and there are concerns around poor mental ill-health for young people. He is very vocal at school about his experiences, often taking in photos or items for show and tell, and stands proud and tall when talking about the RNLI.”

When asking Barnaby of his life plans, it will come as no surprise to anyone that his answer is “to be a crew member” with Calshot in Hampshire his favoured station. His father is the fundraising treasurer of the Wokingham RNLI group and Barnaby can be found alongside the fundraising team, proudly wearing his RNLI clothing, supporting them as they raise money.

Barnaby’s journey and fundraising is chronicled on his own Instagram page, RNLIBarnaby.

Image Credits: Kt bruce , Railton Blyth .