Douglas Council to honour local RNLI station with Freedom of the City 

Award is given to those who have made an 'outstanding contribution' to the capital

Douglas Council will be giving a Freedom of the City award to the RNLI Lifeboat Station in recognition of its commitment to saving lives at sea.  

It's the highest award the local authority can offer and is given to those who have made an 'outstanding contribution or service'.

An official ceremony will be held next Thursday (27 March) where representatives from the station including volunteers and fundraisers will be honoured. 

The council says the members of Douglas RNLI are the embodiment of 'courage, selflessness and dedication'.

Previous recipients include Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Norman Wisdom, the Bee Gees, Sir Mark Cavendish and 12th Regiment, Royal Artillery.

Mayor of Douglas Natalie Byron-Teare said: "Last year, this Council was represented and indeed hosted various events to mark the 200th anniversary of this wonderful institution.

"Ever since Sir William Hillary first outlined his vision when he founded the charity in 1824, our Island and particularly Douglas has been the foundation for what has followed and has had an inextricable link to saving lives at sea.

"Indeed, it is in our capital, our city, where Sir William’s wish for a dedicated service became a reality and it is going to be an honour to formally bestow the Freedom of the City on Douglas RNLI Lifeboat Station whose members are the embodiment of courage, selflessness and dedication.

"Douglas is extremely proud of its RNLI crew and wider support team and this award reflects our deep gratitude, commemorating all who have gone before, celebrating the lifesavers of today, and hopefully inspiring the next generation who have pledged to continue lifesaving for years to come."

President of Douglas RNLI Peter Cain said: "On behalf of everyone associated with the lifeboat station, I would like to say how proud we are to be honoured in this way.

"We have a good relationship with Douglas City Council who have been very supportive of the RNLI over the years and recognise the work that crews and dedicated fundraisers carry out Island-wide to keep our coastlines safe 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

"The rich nautical heritage of the Island cannot be better summed up than the lifesaving and fundraising work the RNLI carries out in Manx seas and the countless hours given by loyal volunteer lifeboat crews in our community."