Five volunteers from Teignmouth lifeboat station rubbed shoulders with royalty on Thursday (May 23) when they attended a Buckingham Palace garden party to celebrate the RNLI’s 200th anniversary.

Dave Matthews
Dave Matthews (Teignmouth RNLI)

The Teignmouth volunteers joined 2,500 of the RNLI’s longest serving volunteers and staff at the event, which was hosted by HRH The Princess Royal, Vice Admiral Tim Laurence and HRH The Duke of Kent.

The Duke of Kent has been president of the RNLI since 1969 and Sir Tim Laurence is vice president of the RNLI and was previously its deputy chair.

‘Our hosts, The Princess Royal, the Duke of Kent and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, have been hugely supportive of our charity over many decades and it was a huge honour and privilege for many of our staff and volunteers to meet them,’ said RNLI chief executive Mark Dowie.

Teignmouth RNLI volunteers Brian Arnett and Anne Steele Arnett
Teignmouth RNLI volunteers Brian Arnett and Anne Steele Arnett (Teignmouth RNLI)

In attendance from Teignmouth were: helm Dave Matthews, who recently achieved his 20 year service award; Brian Arnett and Anne Steele Arnett who have been recognised for their 20 years service in fundraising and lifeboat visits; Ron Davis, who has been a dedicated fundraising volunteer at the station for over 20 years and volunteer press officer Amy Furlong.

Teignmouth RNLI volunteers Amy Furlong and Dave Matthews
Teignmouth RNLI volunteers Amy Furlong and Dave Matthews (Teignmouth RNLI)

‘This garden party was a wonderful opportunity to recognise and celebrate the the joy and impact of volunteering for the RNLI,’ said the lifesaving charity’s head of volunteering Donna McReath.

Since it was founded in 1824, the RNLI has saved over 146,277 lives – equivalent to two lives every day for 200 years.