Barrow Lifeboat

01/11/2026

The volunteers at Barrow’s RNLI Lifeboat Station were delighted to have a visit yesterday from the team at the Ex RNLI Manchester and Salford Lifeboat. The team made a special trip to Barrow to thank our crew for the assistance they provided when they were called out to the 102-year-old Watson Class former sailing lifeboat on its passage to Barrow to attend the Royal Port of Barrow Festival of the Sea back in August. Their crew member, Apple, became sick due to the sea state and then fell sustaining a head injury. To show her appreciation to the Barrow crew, Apple presented them with a hand-written thank-you letter and her own painting of the Barrow lifeboat. Mark Raynes, owner and skipper of the historic former lifeboat also presented a bronze plaque to the station.

The Barrow crew were happy to give our visitors a full tour of the boathouse and the inshore and all-weather lifeboats. We are grateful to Mark and his team as they are also going to continue to raise funds for the RNLI and we look forward to seeing them again at next year’s Festival of the Sea (Royal Port of Barrow Festival of the Sea 2027).

15/10/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who came along to Rampside Village Hall last Wednesday evening for the Fashion Show organised by the Barrow RNLI Ladies Fundraisers. The evening was a great success, and the Ladies were overwhelmed by the by the support of over 60 people who attended the event and had a great night. The models were amazing and all came from the local area. A big thank you also goes to Victoria and Sue of Pretty Things in Ulverston who provided the clothes for the models to wear.
The evening raised the fantastic sum of £547 for Barrow Lifeboat funds. The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea and the organisation relies entirely on donations to enable our volunteers to carry out their life-saving work.

15/09/2026

13/09/2026

The volunteer crew from Barrow RNLI launched their all-weather lifeboat this afternoon following a Mayday call from a small fishing vessel south of Walney Island

The tasking request was received from HM Coastguard in Holyhead at 2.46pm. The information received was that a 17-foot (5.2-metre) fishing vessel with two crew on board was taking on water and had issued the distress call. The vessel’s position was given as one mile south of Walney Lighthouse.

The crew was paged and the all-weather lifeboat, Grace Dixon, was launched at 3.10pm. The lifeboat, which was under the command of Coxswain, Shaun Charnley, supported by a crew of six, was alongside the casualty within ten minutes of launching. The casualty had a bilge pump running and by proceeding at a slow speed the fishing vessel was able to limit the amount of water it was taking on board. It was agreed that the lifeboat would follow the casualty back to the safety of the Ferry Pitchings in Walney Channel. The Coastguard rescue helicopter, which had also been tasked to attend, was stood down.

The fishing vessel reached the Ferry Pitchings at 4.15pm with the lifeboat maintaining a position south of Jubilee Bridge until the casualty was safe and handed over to the team from Furness Coastguard on the shore.

With the casualty vessel and crew safe, the lifeboat returned to the Boathouse where it was re-housed by the waiting shore crew and made ready for the next launch.

The weather at the time of the incident was good and the wind was westerly, Force 3. The high tide had passed at 1.36pm with a predicted height of 9.3m.

12/09/2026

Thank you to those who braved the weather and made it down to Barrow Lifeboat Station this afternoon as part of our Gala Day and saw the afloat display by our fabulous volunteer crew. The crowd was treated to the awesome sight of the inshore and all-weather lifeboats being launched and put through their paces with a couple of live rescues thrown in literally, for good measure!

12/09/2026

A huge thank you to the Barrow Transport Museum Trust Limited for their support at today's Barrow Lifeboat Gala - providing a free shuttle bus between the Clarkes at Rampside / Rampside Village Hall and the Lifeboat Station.

12/09/2026

Stormy Stan is the hottest guy down at the Barrow Lifeboat Station!
It's Gala Day, so come and see us at Rampside Village Hall and then catch the free vintage bus down to the Boathouse.

12/09/2026

Lots of tasty treats at the Barrow Lifeboat Gala at Rampside Village Hall along with lots of other goodies to buy. Thank you for supporting your life saving volunteers!

12/09/2026

The Barrow Lifeboat Gala is in full swing and if you've been to see the stalls at Rampside Village Hall and then come down to the Lifeboat Station, you can have a go at trying on the lifeboat crew kit! Our volunteer crew are pretty quick, can you beat them?

12/09/2026

The weather may not be the best, but we are all set for the Barrow Lifeboat Gala today and we are now open until 3.00pm.
There's free parking at the the paddock opposite The Clarkes at Rampside. Most of the stalls are at Rampside Village Hall and then you can get a free vintage bus from the Clarkes down to the Lifeboat Station where the shop will be open and an opportunity to have a look on board the all-weather lifeboat, Grace Dixon. The lifeboat will be launched in the afternoon,something not to be missed!
The Rampside Gala Princess and former Barrow Lifeboat Chairperson, Mike Cu***ng, have just opened the Gala at Rampside Village Hall.