The vast majority of supporters and readers of The Lifeboat will know by now that the RNLI celebrated its 175th anniversary on 4 March.

Each one of the 223 lifeboat stations in the UK and Republic of Ireland raised a special anniversary flag and fired a maroon or flare at 1005 which also signalled the start of the 'Birthday Bashes' - thousands of local events, which together with major regional occasions, enabled everyone to take part in the celebrations.

Here follows just a handful of the many events that were going on during the day… Virgin's 50K Entrepreneur and adventurer, Richard Branson, helped get the RNLI's celebrations off to a flying start by donating £50,000 towards a new lifeboat.

Richard, of the Virgin Group, said, 'A few weeks ago Per Lindstrand, Steve Fossett and myself had our lives saved by rescue services in the Pacific and I felt it was appropriate to help kick off the RNLI 175th anniversary with a donation.' Three of a kind West Kirby's D class, Thomas Jefferson, and Hoylake's Mersey, Lady of Hilbre, joined New Brighton's Atlantic, Rock Light, and sailed in formation past The Magazines, site of the earliest RNLI station on the Wirral and also where the anniversary standard flew following the firing of maroons.

The three lifeboats were put through their paces for the media and the assembled public which resulted in some superb TV and newspaper coverage Branching out Thousands of hard working branches and guilds not only celebrated the anniversary on the day but also used the opportunity to raise some cash.

Just one example was at Christchurch in Dorset where four local branches clubbed together and organised a sponsored 'lifeboat pull' through Christchurch High Street which raised over £1,000..