Final chance to show support for life-saving Lytham St Annes RNLI with special commemorative paving stones

Members of the public have just a few weeks left to order a commemorative paving stone as part of a special project marking 175 years of saving lives at Lytham St Annes Lifeboat Station.

The scheme allows people to show their support for the RNLI while remembering a loved one or celebrating a special occasion through an inscribed paver.

It follows on from a similar project completed in 2024, when, as part of celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of the RNLI, a row of pavers inscribed with the names of donors or their loved ones was installed outside the all-weather lifeboat house on South Promenade. Those pavers remain viewable at any time.

Following many requests, a second row of inscribed pavers is now being installed to commemorate the station's 175th anniversary.

The renewed push to fill the second row comes as Lytham St Annes RNLI Lifeboat Station welcomed the public to its popular annual Open Day on Saturday, September 5, as the station marked 175 years of saving lives at sea. Members of the public were able to order a commemorative paver during the Open Day, shortly before the project closes later this month.

Crew members used the occasion to explain how the lifeboats operate, as well as the work involved in launching and recovering them, including the use of the station's launch and recovery vehicles and equipment.

This year's Open Day marked an important year in the history of Lytham St Annes RNLI, marking the 175th anniversary of the founding of the Lytham Lifeboat Station. It also marks 140 years since the worst disaster to befall the RNLI, when 27 lifeboatmen lost their lives in the Ribble Estuary in 1886.

The station is continuing its project to commemorate its history through inscribed paving stones, with the closing date for applications now fast approaching.