RNLI launches podcast to celebrate 200 years
Lifesaving charity, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has launched 200 Voices, a new podcast to mark its bicentenary on 4 March 2024. An episode will be released every day for 200 days, exploring stories from the charity’s history, though to the present day.
Available across all podcast platforms and the RNLI’s website, listeners can hear from survivors, supporters, volunteers, lifeguards, celebrity ambassadors, historians and many more from across the UK and Ireland – and beyond.
The series will hear from celebrity ambassadors such as The Sixth Commandment actor Timothy Spall, Gavin and Stacey actress Ruth Jones, Irish musician Phil Coulter, gold medal Olympian Sir Ben Ainslie and BAFTA-winning actress Joanna Scanlan.
“We knew we had to do something really special to mark the RNLI’s 200th anniversary, which is such a monumental milestone,” says Rory Stamp, RNLI’s strategic content manager.
“200 Voices is an incredible collection of stories that are emotive, powerful, inspiring and heart-warming. The series gives us a chance to hear from a whole variety of amazing people who have played a part in or been touched by our lifesaving charity.”
The podcast series will also hear from people whose lives have been touched by the lifesaving charity, including Milena Smith, whose daughter Mabel was rescued by Barmouth lifeboat volunteers; Radio Caroline DJ, Nick Richards, who stuck with the pirate radio ship until its last moments and Niamh Fitzpatrick, whose sister Dara tragically lost her life in the 2017 Irish Coast Guard Rescue helicopter 116 crash.
Stamp continues: “200 Voices is the first in a programme of activity planned to mark the RNLI’s bicentenary as we celebrate the world-class lifesaving service we provide today, remember our remarkable history and aim to inspire the future generations of lifesavers and supporters as we move through into the next 200 years.”
Since it was founded in 1824, the RNLI’s lifeguards and volunteer lifeboat crews have saved over 144,000 lives.
