September 24th, 2026.



Newhaven RNLI will be welcoming visitors to the lifeboat station at its annual open day on Sunday the 27th of September.

This year, the volunteer crew will be offering a new kind of immersive tour, which lets visitors learn what happens during each stage of an emergency callout. From 10.00am through to 3.00pm, visitors can take part in behind-the-scenes tours in small groups, with each stage showcasing a different area of the station and providing insight into how all the volunteers - from the boat crew to the operations managers - are involved in Newhaven RNLI’s vital lifesaving work. ‘Stormy Stan’, the RNLI’s mascot, will also be on hand in what promises to be a great day out for local families.

Carol Shewell and her husband Pete are the Fundraising Team Leaders at Newhaven RNLI. Carol explained: "We wanted to do something a bit different this year and take people on a journey through the various stages of a shout, from when the pager first buzzes with news of an incident, through to the rescue, followed by the debrief and prepping the boat for its next service at the end.

"We thought it would help visitors gain more of an understanding of the work that our volunteer crews do, while getting across some important water safety messages to the public at the same time."

Tours can be booked in advance at Lifeboatopendaytour.eventbrite.co.uk or the public can just turn up on the day and join a tour.

Visitors to the Open Day will also be able to find out about future volunteering opportunities at the station.