RNLI 200 Voices

There’s more than one way to save a life – RNLI Shop manager Lise Vittrup on why she’s giving back  Lise Vittrup grew up with a healthy respect for the sea. Yet in 1995, when she was a student in Brighton, she was taken off guard by powerful waves. Swept out to sea and unable to swim to shore, she clung to the struts of Brighton pier, smashed by unrelenting waves.  Hear how Lise’s rescue unfolded – and how her gratitude to the crew led her to join the RNLI’s lifesaving family.    200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI    Interview by Adventurous Audio  Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls    The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200   

When Jeff Everett’s diving buddy signalled that something was wrong, their dive on a WW1 shipwreck quickly became an emergency   They were 29m underwater, diving the wreck of the St Dunstan, when Jeff Everett’s diving buddy Robin suddenly indicated that he had a problem and needed to ascend. To avoid the ‘bends’, which can be fatal, this must be done slowly.   Connected by a ‘buddy line’ to prevent either diver from getting lost, they started their ascent, but it was dangerously fast. Jeff recalls the terrifying realisation that his buddy’s life was in danger.   200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI    Interview by Adventurous Audio  Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls    The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200   

When Janet Madron attended the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, she wore something special – the medal awarded to her husband Stephen, who was lost in the 1981 Penlee tragedy Stephen Madron would do anything for anyone. He even came to Janet’s rescue on the bus to the fair. Years later, she listened as the Coastguard called into the silence for the lost Solomon Browne and her crew. Hear Janet’s deeply personal account of the Penlee lifeboat disaster – a story of one village’s lost sons, and the hope their loved ones rediscovered. Janet shares why she still loves being an RNLI volunteer and talks about the honour she felt paying the RNLI’s final farewell to our Royal Patron.  200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI   Interview by the RNLI’s Amy Caldwell  Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls   The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200  

Hear how courage, selflessness and sheer determination helped Sennen Cove lifesavers rescue the crew of the Tungufoss Having been born and bred in Sennen Cove, Maurice had always had a close affinity with the lifeboat community. After completing his National Service, he became a member of the Sennen Cove RNLI lifeboat crew himself. In this archive recording, Maurice - who sadly passed away in 2022 - recalls the time he helped rescue the crew of Icelandic ship Tungufoss, the reason he was awarded a Silver Medal for Gallantry. 200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI  Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls  The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200 

‘I never dreamed someone like me would be on the crew’ – Tower volunteer Omar Javed on what being an RNLI crew member means to him Aged just 16, Omar was out on the water with the Sea Scouts when their boat suddenly capsized. Despite the shock, Omar didn’t hesitate to help save the lives of two of his peers. Afterwards, Skegness RNLI Coxswain Paul Martin visited Omar in hospital. He told him that when he was old enough, there was a place on their lifeboat crew waiting for him. It was just the start of Omar’s inspirational RNLI journey. 200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI  Interview by Adventurous Audio Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls  The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200 

As the charity’s first female coxswain, Di Bush made RNLI history. She’s also made a vow to encourage more women to follow in her footsteps Having spent much of her time at sea, Di Bush knows that every day on the water is different. It’s an environment that changes all the time. But change isn’t something that fazes Di, having herself made an incredible change in the RNLI’s history by becoming our charity’s first full-time female coxswain. As coxswain, Di leads her crew at Harwich Lifeboat Station through difficult rescues. Hear as she recalls a particularly memorable one of an oyster fisherman in desperate need of help on a windy winter’s day. 200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI  Interview by the RNLI's Rory Stamp Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls  The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200 

After Portrush lifeguard Annie Jagoe helped rescue a man with spinal injuries, he was told he would never walk again. But 1 year on, the story took a twist  When Portrush lifeguard Annie Jagoe heard the words: ‘Unconscious body in the water’ over her VHF radio, she scanned Benone Beach. Hearing that the casualty couldn’t move, Annie grabbed her spinal board. Matthew, the surfer that Annie and her fellow lifeguards aided that day, was told that he’d never walk again. Yet, on the anniversary of the accident 1 year later, Mathew made a return to the water. And Annie was at his side.  200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI   Interview by Adventurous Audio  Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls      The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200   

RNLI Heritage Officer Dr Joanna Bellis on fundraising chickens, and her favourite object in the RNLI Museum collection When you have 200 years’ worth of stories scattered around an organisation as far-flung as the RNLI, sometimes some detective work is in order. RNLI Heritage Officer Joanna Bellis reveals how the tales behind some her favourite artefacts in the RNLI’s collection came to light. Hear why donors couldn’t say no to a fundraising chicken. And learn why a certain silver tankard proved to be a bit of a Russian doll – inside it, lay the secret to a dramatic rescue straight from a Boys Own adventure. 200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI  Interview by the RNLI's Isobel Noctor Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls  The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200 

When he’s not on stage with Ed Sheeran, he’s on duty at Chiswick RNLI. Mark Pusey on the unlikely similarities between both When Mark Pusey discovered there were RNLI lifeboats on the River Thames, suddenly a lifelong dream of volunteering on the crew could become a reality – without leaving London. Session drummer Mark takes a break from Ed Sheeran’s Mathematics tour to talk about the realities of lifesaving on a powerful tidal river. From the buzz of Boat Race day to the camaraderie of crewmates, hear how his professional and volunteer roles put each one into perspective.  200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI  Interview by Adventurous Audio  Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls  The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200 

The day the RNLI rescued pirates – former Radio Caroline DJ Nick Richards reflects on the event that inspired a lifelong affinity with the charity The Mi Amigo was a rusting hulk. She had a seized engine, no ship’s wheel, and somebody had even made off with the compass. Yet, in the 1960s, this was a boat with legions of fans, including the DJs who called the Mi Amigo home. Nick Richards takes us back to the days of Radio Caroline, the pirate radio station that broadened musical horizons from a ship anchored off the Essex coast. Nick, one of four DJs rescued when the Mi Amigo began to sink, recalls the day Sheerness RNLI came to their aid. But there was a fifth crew member onboard that day – what happened to the ship’s canary, Wilson? 200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI  Interview by Adventurous Audio  Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls  The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200 

In 1915, seas carried extra danger. After a steamer is sunk by a submarine, RNLI lifeboat Lady Rothes is launched. Fraserburgh Sea Cadets pick up the story The champagne had barely dried on Fraserburgh’s newly named lifeboat, when her crew were called into the fray of a First World War rescue. The Lady Rothes had just been donated to the town by the Countess of Rothes’ father, grateful that his daughter had survived the 1912 Titanic disaster. On 8 August 1915, the lifeboat’s volunteer crew launched after a German submarine was sighted 15 miles offshore. Fraserburgh’s first motor lifeboat was about to claim its first rescue.  200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI   Narration courtesy of the Fraserburgh Sea Cadets  Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls       The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200  

Wild weather and forbidding seas aren’t the only challenges the RNLI has faced – Dr Sam Jones reveals how the charity we know today came about As with so many good beginnings, it all started in a pub. On 4 March, 1824, Sir William Hillary met Thomas Wilson in Bishopsgate’s London Tavern to establish the National Institution for the Preservation of Lives and Property from Shipwreck. But after an auspicious start, the charity we know today as the RNLI hit choppier waters. RNLI Tobermory’s Dr Sam Jones reveals the organisation’s evolution. And explains why, 200 years from now, future historians will recognise the same volunteer ethos at the Institution's heart. 200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI   Interview by Adventurous Audio  Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls       The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200  

The RNLI’s Senior Operations Manager explains how a lifeboat crew comes together How were lifeboat crews alerted in the days before pagers? What if a crew member’s pager goes off during Christmas dinner? Or a wedding? And why is a shout called a shout? The RNLI’s Paul Fisher reveals the surprising ways in which volunteer crews have been called into action to save those they’ve never met. The methods may have changed, but the lifesavers' commitment and selflessness remain. 200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI   Interview by the RNLI's Darren Crew  Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls       The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200  

She flies a hovercraft for the RNLI. And flies the flag for female volunteers. Meet Leesa Espley In 2007, RNLI Hunstanton’s Leesa Espley became the first woman to gain a pilot’s licence to fly an RNLI hovercraft. But she had to do it the hard way – needing laser eye-surgery before she could take flight. Hear how times have changed for RNLI crews, and about what it’s like to pilot something with no brakes. 200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI   Interview by the RNLI's Rory Stamp Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls       The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200  

Visual artist Sophie Dixon on a Northumberland heroine and the film she inspired On 7 September, 1838, a lighthouse-keeper’s daughter – Grace Darling – spotted shipwrecked survivors clinging to the rocks of the Farne Islands, Northumberland. After Grace and her father defied a raging storm to rescue them in an open rowing boat, Grace became a national – and international – celebrity, and was awarded the RNLI’s Silver Medal for Gallantry. Visual artist Sophie Dixon talks to 200 Voices about how she used a game engine and 3D modelling to give a 185-year-old story a modern telling. Her short film, Grace, explores how, for the lady of the lighthouse, the blinding glare of media attention became too much. Watch the film here or go to https://www.grace-darling.film/ You can learn more about Grace Darling at the RNLI Grace Darling Museum Read more about Sophie’s work here or visit https://sophie-dixon.com/Info 200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI   Interview by Adventurous Audio  Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls   The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200    

After saving a surfer at Perranporth, Sophie became the first female RNLI lifeguard to be awarded a medal. She wishes her Dad had lived to see it Growing up in Cornwall, keeping vigil over those in the sea was a way of life for Sophie Grant-Crookston. When a relentless swell trapped a surfer in one of Perranporth’s notoriously dangerous Bat Caves, her years of training paid off. Sophie and her fellow lifeguards had to time their rescue perfectly to get everyone out alive. Listen to her memories of the 2006 rescue, the thoughts she experienced as the adrenaline surged – and hear about the bittersweet emotions on the medal that links her to the RNLI family forever.  200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI   Interview by Adventurous Audio  Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls       The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200  

Actor and sailor Griff Rhys Jones on why he feels safer on stage than on water. The sea doesn’t stick to a script, he warns Griff Rhys Jones is no stranger to water. Hear why to this day he still gets a nagging feeling about the sea – a place he regards at times as a place of frenzy. His appreciation for the RNLI goes all the way back to his early trips to West Mersea, where his father once tied a man upside down to a ladder – Griff explains why it was a kinder act than it sounds! And says that, although many things have moved on in 200 years, the RNLI ethos remains largely unchanged. 200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI Interview by the RNLI's Rory Stamp Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200

Stories from the veteran Largs lifeboatman who was instrumental in saving 296 lives The 49er – wearing different hats, Ronnie Copeland served Largs RNLI for almost half a century. He still can’t walk away, visiting local primary schools to teach water safety. Discover how the RNLI has come on leaps and bounds. And hear about an unusual rescue. 200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI Interview by Adventurous Audio Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200

Legendary RNLI fundraiser Mary Taylor on the pull of the lifeboat station The smell of the boathouse; the roar of the engine – for the late Mary Taylor, otherwise known as Lifeboat Mary, Padstow Lifeboat Station had a very special appeal. For one thing, her family’s RNLI connections reach all the way back to 1883. To Mary, the lifeboat was more than a boat – it was a friend. 200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI  Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls  The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200 

Who doesn’t love a singalong? Meet the RNLI Water Safety Officer whose talks enthral adults as much as kids Surprisingly, around 50% of those who get into trouble in the water never intend to get wet in the first place. So education is key. Hunstanton RNLI’s Lifeboat Visits Officer Kate Craven reveals how the Hunstanton volunteers draw in a crowd, why you can’t beat a catchy song, and why, after the children have left the station, some lifesavers are left with a tear in their eye. 200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI Interview by Adventurous Audio Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200  

We shall save them on the beaches: RNLI Archivist John Ray on the Ramsgate crew who braved bombs and bullets at Dunkirk The sea is daunting enough. But perhaps never more so than in May, 1940, when two RNLI lifeboat crews launched into WW2. Joining an armada of 700 ‘little ships’, the volunteers embarked on Operation Dynamo. Evading enemy submarines, bursting shells and raging fires, the two crews ferried 3,400 troops to safety. When people talk of Dunkirk spirit, they are talking about the kind of spirit showed by the lifeboat crews of Ramsgate and Margate.  Discover more about the RNLI’s involvement in Operation Dynamo  200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI Interview by Adventurous Audio Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200  

Best-selling author Ann Cleeves on the real-life drama that earned the RNLI a place close to her heart It’s no coincidence that Ilfracombe RNLI makes an appearance in Ann Cleeves’s latest book, The Raging Storm (published in August 2023). Learn why Ann will always be grateful to the RNLI. And hear about the book, set in a remote fishing village in a part of Devon where both the lead character – Matthew Venn – and Ann herself grew up.   To find out more about The Raging Storm visit anncleeves.com 200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI Interview by the RNLI's Isobel Noctor Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200  

It was the race that changed yacht racing. RNLI Baltimore’s Kieran Cotter on the Fastnet tragedy of 1979 Former Baltimore RNLI Coxswain Kieran Cotter joined the RNLI when he was just 19, and would go on to receive an RNLI Bronze Medal for Gallantry. In August 1979, Kieran and his fellow crew members were called to aid sailors competing in the Fastnet Race, in which 5 yachts sank and 15 lives were lost. The shout to the yacht Regardless was just the start of what would be a 22-hour mission.  200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI Interview by Adventurous Audio Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200

The RNLI is what happens to you when you’re making other plans – an ex-US-Coast-Guarder reveals why he dropped anchor in the UK After 24 years with the United States Coast Guard, JoJo Mains gave up chasing drug-smugglers and chased a new adventure instead – joining the RNLI. Castles, he expected. Self-righting boats and volunteers, he didn’t. Find out why the RNLI holds a little magical place in his life.  200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI Interview by Adventurous Audio Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200

After being given days to live, Timothy Spall vowed that if he ever recovered he would get a boat – he did both. Hear about his close encounters Actor Timothy Spall isn’t short of maritime material. He once almost tethered his boat to a WW2 wreck housing 1,400 tonnes of high explosives. And once navigated what Admiral Nelson regarded as the most dangerous stretch of water he’d ever encountered. Whatever the sea throws at them, Tim and his wife – Shane – have a tried-and-tested way of keeping their cool. What’s their secret?  200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI Interview by the RNLI’s Eleanor Driscoll Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200

Irish priest – and Courtown crew member – Father Tom Dalton on his role when rescue turns to recovery RNLI lifesavers are an eclectic bunch with a common goal – saving lives. But how do they feel when a life can’t be saved? Wexford priest and Courtown volunteer Father Tom shares his perspective on the importance of listening and closure. And says there’s always a place for what he calls ‘the medicine for all things’.  200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI Interview by Adventurous Audio Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200  

After losing her sister Dara at sea, Niamh Fitzpatrick reveals what the RNLI means to her On 14 March, 2017, Irish Coast Guard helicopter 116 crashed into the sea off County Mayo, killing four crew members. One of those killed was Niamh Fitzpatrick’s sister, Dara. The RNLI recovered Dara’s body. Niamh explains how the RNLI helped her through the loss of her sister, and why the family’s bond with Achill Island RNLI, in particular, is so close. Niamh later drew on her experience to write the book: Tell Me the Truth About Loss: A Psychologist’s Personal Story of Loss, Grief and Finding Hope.  To learn more about Niamh's work, visit niamhfitzpatrickpsychology.ie  200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI Interview by Adventurous Audio Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200

Chris Beardshaw on the inspiration behind his medal-winning RNLI Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show To help him create the RNLI’s Chelsea Flower Show Garden, Chris Beardshaw visited Portishead RNLI as well as the charity’s all-weather lifeboat centre. Hear him talk about what inspired him, and get an insight into why he thinks the charity provides ‘the gold standard of rescue services’.  200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI Interview by the RNLI’s Eleanor Driscoll Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200

Keeping up with Jones – from winning the respect of an all-male crew to winning an MBE: a Porthcawl volunteer shares her story RNLI Porthcawl’s first female Helm – Aileen Jones – takes us back to 24 August 2004, and the day she helped to save two lives. The rescue resulted in Aileen becoming the charity’s first female crew member to be awarded an RNLI Gallantry Medal. What advice would she give to aspiring lifesavers?  200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI Interview by Adventurous Audio Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200

There’s only one thing worse than seeing your children in trouble in the water – not seeing them. A mum recalls the day her daughters were swept out at Barmouth We all hope we’ll never have to make a 999 call. But in August 2022, Milena – mother of 10-year-old Elsie and 12-year-old Mabel – had to do just that. Playing in the surf one minute, the girls were suddenly swept out to sea. As the two sisters drifted apart, Elsie instructed Mabel to float like a starfish. Milena explains what happened next.  200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI Interview by Adventurous Audio Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200

Jim Moir, otherwise known as Vic Reeves, on the perils of the sea. And charcoal Best known for his comedy, Jim Moir’s twin passions are actually art and birds, which led to the Sky Arts show Painting Birds with Jim and Nancy Moir. His latest exhibition – ‘Comestibles Sir?’ – runs until 26 August at the Cornwall Contemporary Gallery. He talks to 200 Voices about getting his hands – and face – dirty for the RNLI.   Find out more about Jim's latest exhibition at jimmoir.com or visit cornwallcontemporary.com 200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI Interview by the RNLI’s Rory Stamp Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200

Behind the scenes of Saving Lives at Sea: what is it about the RNLI series that keeps us watching?  At once heart-warming and heartbreaking, the BBC’s Saving Lives at Sea has had us hooked for seven series. Senior Producer Corinna Gallop shares why she thinks we keep watching and explains how the programme has changed her. Hear why it’s the series she’s most proud of.  Series 7 of Saving Lives at Sea is available here and on BBC iPlayer 200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI Interview by Adventurous Audio Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200  

Hannah Williamson describes the stomach-churning moment when she realised husband Ben had been taken by a rip Beautiful August sunshine, a BBQ, and a bit of bodyboarding – the recipe for a perfect day at the beach. But when Hannah Williamson suddenly loses sight of husband Ben while he’s out on his board at Perran Sands, panic sets in. With no phone signal to call the Coastguard, Hannah starts to think Ben won’t be coming back.  200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI Interview by Adventurous Audio Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200  

Bafta-winning actor Joanna Scanlan on the cast-members she has the greatest admiration for Actress and open-water swimmer Joanna Scanlan on pushing herself out of her depth, why she included an RNLI rescue in an episode of the TV comedy Puppy Love, and why one day she needed the RNLI for real.  WIN A COASTAL DREAM HOUSE IN NORFOLK  Joanna is kindly supporting the Omaze Million Pound House Draw that will raise vital funds to help the RNLI continue its lifesaving work. The draw closes at midnight on Monday 28 August, 2023.  'This fabulous house in Norfolk is a truly life changing prize for one lucky winner - but more importantly, the money and awareness raised through this innovative partnership with Omaze will help the RNLI continue its lifesaving work. The RNLI has saved over 142,700 lives at sea since 1824 - and everyone who enters will be contributing towards the crucial training and equipment their lifesavers need to help people who find themselves in trouble in the water - and of course one lucky person is guaranteed to win this dream home too.'  - Joanna Scanlan, Actor and RNLI Supporter  Enter the Omaze Million Pound House Draw.  200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI Interview by the RNLI’s Ollie Wrynne-Simpson Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200

In 1824, Sir William Hillary founded what is now the RNLI. Coxswain Edd Christian takes us back to where it all started On 10 October, 1822, HMS Vigilant foundered on St Mary’s Rock in Douglas Bay on the Isle of Man. A bystander urged others to help him row out to rescue those in peril. That man was Sir William Hillary. And, as a result of this and further shipwrecks, he went on to form what we know today as the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. One of Douglas RNLI’s current coxswains explains why, two centuries on, Sir William would be proud.   200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI Interview by Adventurous Audio Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200

How do you describe what it’s like to encounter waves the size of buildings? How do you convey what that moment of rescue feels like? How do you tell the story of 200 years of lifesaving? With so many examples of courage, selflessness, heart-breaking loss and heartfelt relief in its long history, the RNLI has left it to those who know best. In 200 Voices you’ll hear from people whose lives have been touched by the charity. Not just crew members and casualties, but fundraisers, lifeguards, shore crew and shop workers, as well as those with more surprising connections. It takes many hands to save a life. And each day in the run-up to our birthday on 4 March, 2024, you'll hear a unique perspective. 200 Voices will transport you back in time, far out to sea and into the future. The first episode drops on 18 August.