1824: 1,800 shipwrecks a year around Britain’s coasts. The RNLI had to be founded without government support. It depended on amazing volunteers, prepared to risk their lives – and it still does. In the last 200 years, they’ve saved over 144,000 lives.

Dave Nicoll has been an RNLI volunteer for over 43 years, and is currently a Coxswain of the Falmouth Lifeboat. His illustrated talk will use historical photos and film, along with the latest footage and stories to show how the RNLI has developed over the last 200 years, including the key part that women have played throughout its history.