A COMMEMORATIVE scroll created for the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is being brought to West Somerset in a relay journey around the country.
The ‘Connecting our Communities’ relay will stop at Minehead RNLI station on Saturday, April 20, when local lifeboat crews will sign it.
Visitors will be welcomed between 12 noon and 4 pm, to enjoy poetry readings and shanty singing.
The afternoon will also feature the release of former Minehead lifeboatman Chris Rundle’s new book ‘There for those in Peril’ charting the history of the town’s RNLI.
The bamboo paper scroll contains the RNLI’s ‘One Crew’ pledge, in which the charity promises its commitment to saving without judgment every person it can, staying true to Sir William Hillary’s vision when he founded the institution in 1824.
It started its route at a service of thanksgiving in Westminster Abbey on the 200th anniversary on March 4 and will travel through every RNLI region before ending its journey in Douglas, on the Isle of Man, former home of Sir William.
An RNLI spokesperson said: “No matter how you help save lives at sea, whether you are a selfless volunteer or a kind supporter, we would love for you to get involved.
“Come and see the scroll up close at an event near you, and see lifesavers sign the pledge on behalf of their communities.
“By passing this pledge from one incredible community to the next, we hope to inspire the next generation of lifesavers.”