Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week goes sky high with vintage air display

Tuesday 1 July 2025

An aerobatic display by vintage aircraft on two days is planned by organisers as a highlight of this year’s Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis.

Yellow aircraft — Harvard aircraft from the Navy Wings collection

The week – a major summer event in the town since the 1970s – starts on July 26 and, as usual, its aim is twofold...to provide family fun for visitors and residents alike and to raise vital funds for the RNLI’s pledge as the charity that saves lives at sea.

This year’s week includes all the old favourites, the duck race, the swimming challenges, the bathtub race, Teddy bears’ picnic, Morris dancing, the crab fishing contest and the sand castle competition. There will also be daily opportunities to meet the crew at the lifeboat station to hear why they volunteer as life-savers.

Another highly successful fund-raiser, the water or wine lucky dip, will be dedicated to the memory of its creator Brian Cursley who volunteered as treasurer and manager of the gift shop for many years.

The air display will feature two aircraft from the Navy Wings collection – formerly the Royal Navy Historic Flight – based at the Royal Naval Air Station, Yeovilton. The vintage Harvard and Chipmunk aircraft will be performing on Wednesday and Thursday during the week.

The Harvard is the latest aircraft to join the Navy Wings historic team and was primarily used to train pilots. More than 17,000 were built for British and Commonwealth air forces and many still fly, racing at Reno in the USA and displaying solo or with formation teams.

The Chipmunk was built by de Havilland in Chester and after service with the RAF joined the Navy’s Britannia Flight at Roborough in 1966. She retired from service in 1993 and joined the Historic Flight at Yeovilton becoming the last flying example of the type in Royal Naval Service.

Lifeboat Week is organised by the Lyme Regis and Charmouth Lifeboat Supporters Group and the volunteers who crew the town’s RNLI lifeboat Spirit of Loch Fyne. Chairman of the Supporters Group Ken Lavery said: 'Lifeboat Week is

the highlight of our fund-raising year. The generosity of visitors,

residents and business people never ceases to amaze us. We wish a warm welcome to everyone, and hope they bring the sunshine with them !'

The printed programme, with full details of all the week’s events and featuring news about the Lyme Regis men and women who volunteer to save lives at sea, is available, price £2, from the RNLI gift shop next to the lifeboat station on the Cobb

and outlets around the town.

Ends

Red and White aircraft — Chipmunk of the Navy Wings collection

Inshore lifeboat at sea — Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat Spirit of Loch Fyne at sea

8 men paddling a raft — Bathtub race circa 2022

Lifeboat crew in full PPE — Meet the Crew

Picture of the front cover of the lifeboat week programme — This year's lifeboat week programme

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.

It's hot out there!

Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week goes sky high with vintage air display

Key facts about the RNLI

Learn more about the RNLI

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

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