MEMBERS and supporters of Penarth’s lifeboat crew will raise a social distanced toast to mark the 40th anniversary of the station being reopened in the town.

The RNLI's ‘new’ lifeboat station in Penarth, opened on June 17, 1980 - some 75 years after the original lifeboat station was closed.

The original station operated from 1861 to 1905, during which time a total of 94 lives were saved by the volunteer crews.

Following a highly successful community-led project and appeal the RNLI agreed to a new Penarth lifeboat station which was initially based in a local private garage, relocating to premises which eventually became the Fig Tree restaurant and latterly Coffi and Co.

But in 1995 the station relocated to a purpose-built station, which has become a much-loved landmark on Penarth’s Esplanade.

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Lifeboat operations manager for Penarth station, Jason Dunlop said: “Having a lifeboat based in Penarth for the last 40 years has been a huge success and we will take time to mark this important occasion when the time is right.

“We are very much a community station, and we are grateful to everyone that supports the work we do.

“More formal events will be held, hopefully later in the year, to mark this historic event, but under the present lockdown our plans have been temporarily ‘scuppered.’

“Even though our commemorative events have been affected our lifeboats and the volunteer crew members remain ready to go to sea at a moment’s notice to save lives at sea.”

Do you have some memories, over the last 40 years, involving Penarth lifeboats?

Andy Berry will collate the information and photographs to be included in a celebratory article.

Email Andy Berry, on awb.safety@gmail.com