Dotted along the shores and coastlines of our beautiful country are the buildings of one of the nation’s most distinctive organisations – the unmissable lifeboat stations of the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution).

“With courage, nothing is impossible” was the motto of Sir William Hillary, founder of the RNLI almost two hundred years ago. This inspiring man personally helped to save over 300 lives at sea from his home on the Isle of Man, and yet he couldn’t even swim!

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, Sir William Hillary, an English soldier, philanthropist and Quaker moved to the Isle of Man and settled near the capital town, Douglas. He watched storms and rough seas from his home and started to notice the huge number of ships that were wrecked along the coast, and the great numbers of lives lost as a result.

Sir William began to formulate a plan for a life-saving service manned by trained crew members, who would come to the rescue of ship wrecked vessels. In 1824, Sir William’s vision was realised and The National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck was finally founded as a nationally co-ordinated charity that depended on volunteer crews who kept watch and manned life saving boats to help shipwrecked vessels.

In 1854, the institution was renamed as the RNLI – The Royal National Lifeboat Institution. 1854 was also the year that RNLI crew members were given lifejackets to wear. They were very early models made from tubes of cork, but these proved to be invaluable life-savers for volunteer crew and rescued seamen alike.

The RNLI has over 30 lifeboat stations across Wales, but this weekend was a very special celebration for one of them. The RNLI Porthdinllaen lifeboat station on the Llyn Peninsula has been in existence for 150 years, it was opened in 1864. The station has recently undergone a huge programme of restoration and upgrading, with over £9 million being spent on the new boathouse, and almost £3 million on the new Tamar Class lifeboat, the John D Spicer (named after an RNLI governor).

The new Porthdinllaen lifeboat station opened its doors to the public last Easter but the official opening and naming ceremony took place at the weekend.

The RNLI Porthdinllaen lifeboat is an RNLI Explore station, which means it is open to the public so you can have a look around the station, and the boat (if it’s not out) and usually even book a tour. So why not have a drive along the coast and spend the day with the RNLI at this beautiful station. There’s lots to explore, and to discover.

You can find out more, including opening hours etc at www.pylifeboat.org