A ROYAL WELCOME

was chosen for Their Majesties’ first RNLI visit since becoming King Charles III and Queen Camilla. It is especially poignant as St Ives RNLI Lifeboat Station was Queen Elizabeth II’s last RNLI station visit.”

On 17 May 2013, Queen Elizabeth II visited St Ives Lifeboat Station with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, where Her Majesty unveiled a plaque at the station and met volunteer crew and fundraisers. This was Her Majesty’s last o cial engagement with the RNLI as the charity’s longest serving Patron of 70 years.

St Ives RNLI Lifeboat Station welcomed Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla last month as part of their first o cial visit to Cornwall since the Coronation.

Their Majesties met RNLI volunteers and sta from across a range of roles during their visit to the town. RNLI Area Lifesaving Manager Dickon Berriman presented eight volunteers, two lifeguards and St Ives’ full-time Coxswain Mechanic, Rob Cocking, who comes from a long-line of Cocking family members who have served at the station.

Highlighting the heritage of RNLI family connections were grandmother Emileen Williams, who is the shop manager and Chair of the Fundraising Team, and her grandson Ant Stewart, who is a RNLI Senior Lifeguard at Portmeor Beach.

It was a wonderful occasion for the RNLI’s three frontline lifesaving services –lifeboats, lifeguards and water safety – to come together alongside volunteers from the shop, fundraising and visits teams to showcase the charity’s one crew ethos to the Royal party.

The King and Queen spent some time talking to RNLI volunteers and sta , asking questions about their roles and the work of the RNLI in St Ives.

St Ives’ volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager, James Perkin said: ‘We are extremely privileged that our station