Beaumaris Lifeboat station is the busiest in Wales

RNLI lifeboats rescued 1,121 people in call-outs off the coast of Wales and the Isle of Man over the past year, with pleasure boats the main cause. Figures for the RNLI Wales and the West area show boats were launched 1,207 times in 2010, a similar total to 2009.

RNLI volunteers at Beaumaris lifeboat station, Anglesey, were the busiest within the Wales and West division.

>> Read more (BBC)

Lifeboat is called out for search

The volunteer crew of Beaumaris Lifeboat Station were called out December 28th at 3.20 to search for a missing man along the Menai Strait. At 6.25 am the boat returned to the lifeboat station for a crew change and continued with the search working closely with Bangor and Penmon Coastguards and RAF rescue helicopter.
>> More information on the search

Video of Canoe Rescue

Waterproof Torch

The Freemasons in Beaumaris has presented Beaumaris Lifeboat Station with a powerful waterproof torch. The portable and rechargeable torch will be kept on the lifeboat and will prove invaluable during night searches.
Picture Shows from left to right: Mike Stone, Lifeboat Training Co-ordinator with Captain Chris Gofton, The Worshipful Master of Beaumaris Masonic Lodge and David Cooke from Beaumaris Freemasons at the torch presentation.

RNLI Presents Centenary Vellum to the Station

Beaumaris Lifeboat Station was awarded a Centenary Vellum from the RNLI in recognition of 100 years aggregate service during a special commemorative service at St Mary and St Nicholas Church in Beaumaris on Sunday 17 October.

Beaumaris Lifeboat Station was established in 1891. It closed in 1895 when Penmon was provided with a more powerful lifeboat but reopened in 1914 and in 1991 was re-graded to an all year round Inshore Lifeboat Station. Beaumaris has had a long association with the BBC Children’s TV programme Blue Peter receiving three new lifeboats generously provided by the viewers. The last boat, “Blue Peter II” was on active service on the Menai Strait for over nine years until January this year. It notched up an impressive record of answering 578 calls, 186 of those were at night and 25 involved air cooperation. Blue Peter II saved the lives of 19 people and brought an additional 616 people ashore for their own safety and had in total spent 555.6 hours at sea on rescue missions. It was replaced by the new Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat. This is the most advanced inshore lifeboat ever produced by the RNLI and with Beaumaris being the busiest inshore RNLI lifeboat station in Wales during the summer of 2009, it has greatly enhanced the capability at the station and enabled the crew to provide a faster service along the Menai Strait.

The Vellum recognises the great cause of life-saving from disaster at sea and desires to acknowledge with warm appreciation the voluntary commitment of the local lifeboat community and the dedication and courage of the coxswains, helmsmen and crews who have never failed to maintain the high traditions of the lifeboat service.

Mr Michael Vlasto OBE, RNLI Operations Director presented the Vellum to David Jones, Deputy Launching Authority, who accepted the Vellum on behalf of Beaumaris Lifeboat Station.

During the 100 years, six silver medals and one bronze medal have been awarded to Beaumaris lifeboat crew as well as other awards including several Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellums, Letters of Appreciation a number of Vellums.

Say it with Flowers

The hugely popular annual Flower Arranging Demonstration, in aid of Beaumaris RNLI station, returns on 18 November at the Victoria Hotel in Menai Bridge and promises to be a fun night out.  Elaine Thomas will demonstrate the art of perfecting different types of floral arrangements while keeping up the banter!  All arrangements are raffled off at the end of the night.    Doors open at 7.30pm.  Tickets are only £6 each and are available from Diana Brooke on 01248 715123, or on the door on the night.

Beaumaris lifeboat crew assist disabled yacht

On Sunday 19 September, the volunteer crew of Beaumaris Lifeboat were called out to assist a yacht which had got into difficulties when its electrical panel became flooded.
The yacht was taken in tow by another yacht belonging to a Beaumaris lifeboat crewman but as they approached Puffin Sound it was thought that assistance was required with the tow as the conditions in the sound would make things difficult. The Beaumaris lifeboat was launched and took over the tow taking the disabled yacht to its mooring opposite Bangor Pier.