EACH year the people of Bude come together to celebrate and raise money for the life saving services of the RNLI as part of the town’s Lifeboat Weekend.

This year is set to be no different, as the North Cornwall town is planning to come together at the end of August for three days of putting the fun in fundraising.  

From August 23 to August 26, the town will be host to a variety of events hoping to shine a spotlight on the vital work done by volunteers across the country.  

Some of what’s planned includes the Rotary duck race, Morris dancing, plenty of live music and even some rowing races. 

However, this year’s event is even more special, as it marks the 200th anniversary year of the RNLI.  

Since the charity was founded in 1824, its volunteer crews in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset West Dorset and the Channel Islands have launched the lifeboats 55,912 times, saving 14,967 lives. RNLI lifeguards across the region – who became part of the charity’s lifesaving service in 2001 – have responded to 176,585 incidents, saving 1,061 lives.  

In total, across the UK and Ireland, 146,452 lives have been saved by the RNLI – this equates to an average of two lives saved every day for 200 years.  

Founded in a London tavern on March 4, 1824 following an appeal from Sir William Hillary, who lived on the Isle of Man and witnessed many shipwrecks, the RNLI has continued saving lives at sea throughout the tests of its history, including tragic disasters, funding challenges and two World Wars.   

The charity has a strong presence in the southwest with 33 lifeboat stations – including one in Bude - and 89 lifeguarded beaches during the summer season. 

RNLI chief executive, Mark Dowie, said: “It has been an honour and a privilege to be at the helm of the RNLI for the past five years, and to see the charity reach its bicentenary. For a charity to have survived 200 years based on the time and commitment of volunteers, and the sheer generosity of the public donating to fund it, is truly remarkable. It is through the courage and dedication of its incredible people that the RNLI has survived the tests of time. 

“I am immensely grateful to everyone who is involved with the charity – our volunteers, supporters and staff.”  

With 2024’s RNLI weekend marking such a big occasion, there are some big things planned, including a bi-centennial pasty competition and Bude’s ‘biggest firework display ever’.  

With money to be raised and fun to be had, there is plenty to get stuck into during this charitable weekend.   

Friday, August 23 

7pm – 10.30pm: Live Music/ Food Court Friday  

Saturday, August 24 

10am – 4pm: Charity Table Top Sale 

2pm – 4pm: Bude Metric Brass Band 

7pm – 10.30pm: Family Quiz Night  

Saturday, August 25 

12pm – 2pm: Cousin Jack & Barrett’s Privateers Shanty Bands 

3pm – 5pm: Children’s Disco with ‘Disco In Kernow’ 

3pm – 4pm: Songs of Praise with Metric Brass Band 

7.30pm - 10.30pm: Evening Concert with Mevagissy Male Choir and Cousin Jack. Compere Adrian Wilton 

Monday, August 26  

Lifeboat Station and Summerleaze Beach 

10am – 4pm: Lifeboat Station tours and Bude Coastguard Rescue team static display 

10am till gone: Hot pasties available  

11am: Search and Rescue Demonstration with Bude Lifeboat, Rescue Watercraft and Beach Lifeguards 

12.30pm: Children’s Treasure Hunt  

Lifeboat Marquee, Castle Grounds and Bude Light 

10am – 4pm: Refreshments, Cream Tea, Lifeboat Stalls and Grand Raffle 

10am – 11pm: Licensed Bar with local real ales, Cornish gins and rums  

11am – 1pm: Bude Metric Brass 

1.15pm - 1.45pm: Barrel Morris Dancers (Bude Light) 

1.45pm - 2.15pm: Bideford Youth Pipe Band and entertainment outside marquee 

2.30pm - 4pm: Shanties from Tinker’s Cuss with The Barrell Seagals 

4pm – 4.30pm: Barrel Morris Dancers (Bude Light)  

4pm: Grand Raffle 

4.30pm - 5.30pm Nigel and Lily entertain outside marquee 

5.45pm - 6.15pm: Bideford Youth Pipe Band play at Bude Light and march to Canal for Duck Race 

5.45pm - 7pm: Live music from The Beach Hutz  

7.15pm - 8.45pm: Live music from Too Funk to Druck 

9pm – 9.15pm: Bar closed for fireworks 

9pm: Grand Fireworks Display by Kernow Fireworks 

9.30pm - 11pm: Party time with live music from The Headrush 

11pm: Bar and event closes 

The Canal, Barkhouse Green and Wharf 

10am: Traditional rowing races for the Barnes Cup  

10am – 9.30pm: Bacon Family Amusement Rides 

12pm – 4pm: Various live music with Finch & Friends 

12pm – 6pm: Bude Canoe club, Canoe Polo tournament  

7pm – 8.30pm: Acapella Sound 

Brendon Arms and Falcon Hotel 

12pm: Famous pasty competition followed by auction 

1.15pm - 2.15pm: Lifeboat singers and friends 

2.30pm: Lobster draw 

7pm: Bencoolen Wreckers 

The Canal Lower Basin 

6.30pm: The Rotary International Duck Race  

All Day: Bude Motor Club vintage cars, South West Truckers, Face Painting by Claire Taylor, RNLI food court, Swannacott Manor hog roast/barbeque, RNLI Face to Face team, Launceston voluntary First Aid Service.