Recognising our people’s achievements – as well as reporting our progress – has always been at the heart of the RNLI’s annual meetings. But how we do that has changed with the times, and is about to change again …

From the RNLI’s founders and first medallists to this year’s governors and honorary awardees, our supporters and volunteers have gathered in London every year for the charity’s annual general meeting and award ceremonies. And the venues, from the London Tavern to the Barbican, have hosted some historic moments. Here we share just a few of them – and reveal what the AGM and awards of the future will look like.

1967
Lifesavers are welcomed ashore in central London as they prepare to receive Medals for Gallantry at the RNLI’s Annual Presentation of Awards. In December the previous year, the Moelfre crew rescued 10 and the Holyhead crew rescued five from the Greek motor vessel Nafsiporos in a hurricane. For their parts in the rescue, Moelfre Coxswain Dic Evans (left) received a bar to his Gold Medal for Gallantry, Crew Member Evan Owens (middle) received a bar to his Silver Medal and Inspector of Lifeboats Harold Harvey (right) received a Gold Medal.

NOTE: Firstly the gentleman standing to the right of the picture on Evan Owens's left is Bill Sampson, the former technical manager of the RNLI's Depot at Borehamwood, and therefore is not Harold Harvey. Secondly the picture commemorates an entirely different event, which took place on the 9th November 1973, namely the 'Thames Cavalcade as Memorial to Coxswain Blogg of Cromer'.

MEDALLISTS MAKE THEIR MARK

1824
Charles Fremantle
The Australian port of Fremantle is named after the HMS frigate commander who took possession of Western Australia in 1829. But his name came to prominence 5 years earlier when he received the RNLI’s first Gold Medal for Gallantry. HM Coastguard Commander Charles Fremantle swam out through the surf to a brig striking the shore off Christchurch, Dorset. After attempting to rescue the crew, he was pulled back to shore by a line.

2004
Aileen Jones
In the RNLI’s 180th year, Porthcawl Helm Aileen Jones became the first woman on a lifeboat crew to receive an RNLI Medal for Gallantry. Her Bronze award recognised her boathandling skills and courage when she and her crew went to the aid of a fishing boat in distress. Despite a large swell and gale-force winds, Aileen managed to get the inshore lifeboat close enough to put a fellow volunteer aboard the fishing boat, rescue the skipper, take both onboard and head safely back to shore.

BIG VENUES, BIG MOMENTS

1915
Caxton Hall
In the 1950s and 1960s, Caxton Hall hosted glitzy weddings – Orson Wells, Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Collins and many more celebrities were married there. But 100 years ago it was the scene of a more humble occasion: the RNLI’s Annual Meeting. The Chairman, The Earl Waldegrave, announced that ‘some 1,112 persons were saved’ in the previous year. Among the lifeboat crew members awarded with medals (pictured) were coxswains involved in the rescue of the Rohilla at Whitby (as recalled in issue 609).

2015
The Barbican
These days the RNLI’s AGM presentation takes full advantage of audio-visual technology: a slideshow with images, rescue footage and live video feeds is projected onto a large screen as the Chairman delivers his annual report. Backstage at the Barbican, the RNLI’s events logistics and film and image teams are pictured working together to manage the show after months of planning.

RECORDING OUR PROGRESS

1825
First report
The first annual report produced by the charity – then known as the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck – declared that: ‘The objects of the institution … extend to all, without distinction of country, in war and peace, who may be in imminent peril of shipwreck, on any part of the coast.’

2015
Online now
The latest Annual Report and Accounts document is available in print, but you can also view and download it online – along with a selection of films that show last year’s achievements – at RNLI.org/RNLI2014. ‘2014 was the year in which we set out to save even more lives, now and in the future,’ writes Charles Hunter-Pease in his Chairman’s message. ‘Whatever time, talent or support you generously give, thank you.’

GUESTS OF HONOUR

2008
Silver service
Special guests from all sorts of backgrounds have presented awards and given speeches at our annual events over the years. They have included former President of Ireland Mary McAleese, Paralympic athlete Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and Entrepreneur Richard Branson. The many royal guests have included HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, pictured above, presenting Torbay Coxswain Mark Criddle with his Silver Medal for Gallantry in 2008. Mark went on to present the awards himself in 2014.

2013
Courage and commitment
Since becoming our President in 1969, HRH The Duke of Kent has presented hundreds of awards to lifesavers, fundraisers and supporters. Among the recipients at the 2013 awards was Natasha Lambert, a teenage RNLI supporter with athetoid cerebral palsy, who has sailed, climbed mountains and raised thousands for the RNLI. Natasha is pictured (right) with her younger sister Rachel and HRH The Duke of Kent. See page 4 for news of Natasha’s latest award.

2016 AND BEYOND

From next year, our awards will be presented at regional and community events. There are already major annual ceremonies held outside London, including those at Belfast, Dublin and Perth, as well as smaller regional and local events.

When we asked our volunteers about how they want to receive recognition, 75% of those surveyed said they preferred to receive awards locally.
So next year’s ceremonies will take place at events across the UK and Republic of Ireland in areas that minimise travel times for those attending.

‘It’s a tall order to expect everyone to come here [to London] for the awards, when our lifesaving communities are based all around the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland,’ explained RNLI Chairman Charles Hunter-Pease during this year’s annual awards at The Barbican. ‘And yet the people of those communities deserve to celebrate the difference they make as much as anyone. While the number of RNLI awardees has been going up, the numbers able to attend this event has been going down – because of the time, cost and commitment involved in coming to London. And having two events – this one and the AGM – in one day, is costly.’

The Chairman added that the Annual General Meeting wouldn’t be tied to a London venue either. Instead, the next AGM will take place in Poole at the Lighthouse arts centre, close to our Headquarters. This will save the amount of time and cost used to deliver the event. If you’re a Governor member of the RNLI, we’ll be in touch in the coming months with more opportunities to get involved in the AGM and shape the future of the charity.