RNLI West Kirby Lifeboat

29/10/2026

Details have been shared by the Hoylake & District Remembrance Sunday committee ahead of this year’s service on Sunday 8 November 2026.

Please follow the newly formed page below for further information and updates.

👇👇👇

Hoylake and District Remembrance Sunday 2026 ‼️

Details have been confirmed for this year’s Hoylake and District Remembrance Sunday service taking place on Sunday 8 November 2026.

The service will begin at 10.30am at Grange Hill War Memorial followed by a parade departing from Grange Old Road towards the Concourse at around 11.40am. The parade will conclude with the laying of the 149th Royal Horse Artillery wreath on the Concourse apron at around 12.10pm.

The service will be attended by the committee’s President, Captain Hugh Daglish LVO JP DL RN (Retd); Chair, John S Brown; Father Brian Bell; Liam Hanlon FCIOB DL; Matthew Patrick MP; Cllr Jeff Green and Reviewing Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Simon Pollitt.

ROAD CLOSURES
07:00 - 14:00: Grange Old Road
10:45 - 12:30: Grange Road, Abbey Road, Homestead Mews, Gerard Road, Heatherdene Road, Ashburton Road, Yewtree Lane, Brookfield Gardens, Orrysdale Road
10:45 - 13:00: Westbourne Road, Acacia Road, Grange Road from The Crescent to Orrysdale Road

As with previous years, residents and public support is greatly appreciated. Please park your vehicles on unaffected roads and roads with alternative exit routes if needed within these timeframes.

All are welcome to join us at the war memorial, the concourse and to watch the parade.

John S Brown, Committee Chair.

29/10/2026

Earlier this month, crew member Will travelled down to Poole to complete his refresher training on the RNLI’s Crew Emergency Procedures Course. The two-day course covers a range of essential sea survival skills, including capsize recovery and escaping from a capsized vessel, deploying and boarding life rafts in rough water, personal survival techniques and the safe handling of pyrotechnics.

Will said:

‘I've just completed the Crew Emergency Procedures Course with the RNLI. A great few days of learning, developing skills and gaining valuable sea survival knowledge alongside some brilliant people and trainers.

‘I'm always looking to learn, improve and be better prepared to help those who need us 🌊’

Well done Will!! 👏🛟

24/10/2026

🎆 WEST KIRBY FIREWORKS 2026 🎆

Join us at West Kirby SC on Saturday 7th November from 5.30pm for this year's firework display! Entry is free, but donations to your local RNLI stations are welcome.

There will be an outdoor bar serving b**r, c***r, mulled w**e and soft drinks, as well as hot food and coffee, all in the boat yard from 5.30.

Fireworks start at 6.30 🎆

20/10/2026

Our station flag remains at half-mast in memory of Jeff Kernighan, who dedicated decades of his life to Hoylake RNLI, serving from the 1960s until his retirement in 1997.

Jeff gave so much to both the RNLI and our local community and our thoughts are with his family, friends and all at Hoylake.

It is with great sadness that we share the news that our friend and former Hoylake RNLI crew member, Jeff Kernighan, has passed away.

Jeff first joined the crew in the 1960s and volunteered in a range of operational roles, including Assistant Mechanic, before serving for a further 23 years as Hoylake RNLI’s Mechanic from 1974 up to his retirement in 1997.

He launched on many notable rescues throughout his service, including the shout to the catamaran ‘Truganini’ in the River Dee in September 1979. Hoylake Lifeboat and her crew launched in Force 10 conditions to save the lives of three people on board. Coxswain Harry Jones was awarded the RNLI Bronze Medal, while Jeff, who served as tractor driver during the rescue, was among the crew who received an RNLI Medal Service Certificate.

Jeff was also recognised by the RNLI with a Long Service Badge for his decades of commitment to saving lives at sea. He represented Hoylake RNLI at a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, accompanied by his wife Ann.

Our thoughts and condolences are with Ann and the family, as well as Jeff’s friends. Our station flag will fly at half-mast as a mark of respect.

15/10/2026

SHOUT 📟

On Tuesday afternoon, we were tasked to reports of a windsurfer in difficulty in the River Dee, after a member of the public reported seeing someone fall and struggle to get back up for some time.

The crew launched into strong winds and on a large tide, carrying out a thorough search of the area. Meanwhile, Wirral Coastguard Rescue Team made enquiries with members of the public on land, while Wirral Council reviewed CCTV footage to help establish whether the individual had safely returned to shore.

All units were subsequently stood down roughly one hour later when it was determined nobody was in danger.

☎️ If you see someone in difficulty at the coast, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

12/10/2026

A big well done to our very own Mike, WKLB Helm, who yesterday took on the Wirral 10K to raise money for The Hive Youth Zone!

The Hive is a brilliant local charity that has been supporting young people in Birkenhead since 2017, providing a safe space where they can access opportunities, activities and experiences they might not otherwise have.

With around 900 young people coming through their doors every week, the work they do makes a real difference to young people across our community.

If you’d like to support Mike’s fundraising, his donation page is still open and the link can be found below.

Well done Mike, a brilliant achievement and a brilliant time too 👏👏👏

06/10/2026

We were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Brian Jordan, Hoylake Lifeboat Visits Officer.

Brian was incredibly passionate about all things RNLI and was always so generous in sharing his vast knowledge with thousands of people. He had a unique ability to bring that knowledge to life, always explaining things in the most engaging and interesting way.

More than anything, Brian was a truly lovely person. He was warm, kind and incredibly welcoming, with a real ability to make people feel at ease.

Our thoughts are with Brian’s family and friends, everyone at Hoylake Lifeboat Station, and all those who loved him. Brian was a very special person and he will be missed by us all.

We are saddened to share that our friend and committed Hoylake RNLI Lifeboat Visits Officer, Brian Jordan, has passed away.

Brian was a much-loved and highly respected member of the Hoylake RNLI community, serving as Visits Officer since 2014. For over a decade, he dedicated countless hours to welcoming visitors to our lifeboat station, sharing the RNLI’s lifesaving story and inspiring people of all ages with his warmth, knowledge and enthusiasm.

Through his role, Brian introduced thousands of children, young people and adults to the work of the RNLI. Whether welcoming school and scouting groups, church organisations, sports clubs or community groups, he had a remarkable ability to engage visitors and make every visit or presentation memorable. His passion for the RNLI and commitment to helping others understand how to stay safe at the coast left a lasting impression on everyone he met.

Brian played a pivotal role in developing and growing the station's visits programme. He helped formalise the role of Lifeboat Visits Officer at Hoylake RNLI, creating new ways to organise and deliver visits while ensuring they remained engaging and accessible.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when visitors could no longer come to the station, Brian adapted by delivering virtual presentations, allowing him to continue connecting with groups and sharing vital water safety messages at a time when communities needed such connections more than ever. Just last year, Brian introduced Hoylake RNLI’s first-ever festive ‘Photo With Santa Day’, which proved to be a spellbinding success and typified his enthusiasm and innovation.

His influence extended far beyond the visitors he welcomed. Brian inspired others to volunteer, recruiting new members to our visits team and strengthening the bond between our lifeboat station and the community we serve. Through his presentations and visits, he also helped raise many thousands of pounds to support the RNLI's lifesaving work. The letters of thanks and drawings by children that were pinned to our station noticeboard following Brian’s visits routinely singled out him out for special praise and were a testament to his passion and impact.

Brian's commitment embodied the very best of volunteering as part of our and he was a true ambassador for both Hoylake Lifeboat Station and the wider RNLI.

He will be greatly missed by us all and our lifeboat station flag is flying at half-mast as a mark of respect. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and loved ones at this sad time.

Thank you Brian for everything you did for our station, our community and our charity.

16/09/2026

Huge congratulations to Nathan, Simon, Marisa, Andy and Gypsy who have had an excellent week after completing their training and passing out in various roles! 🥳

👏 Marisa, Simon and Nathan have passed out as BV Drivers & Head Launchers
👏 Andy has passed out as a BV Driver
👏 Gypsy has passed out as Shore Crew

Each pass out represents a huge amount of time, training and commitment from those completing their training, as well as the crew who give up their time to support them along the way.

So a huge well done to all five of you, the whole crew are very proud 👏

14/09/2026

A huge thank you to local supporter Pete, who has once again taken on the Tour De Môn to raise funds for West Kirby RNLI!

Pete has been taking part in the 50-mile cycle event around the Isle of Anglesey for several years and this year he achieved a fantastic personal best of 2 hours, 27 minutes and 24 seconds, all while raising £315 for West Kirby RNLI so far! 🚲

The route takes riders around the lovely Anglesey coastline, with more than 2,000 feet of climbing along the way, so it’s no small challenge!

We’re very grateful to Pete for continuing to support our lifeboat station year after year and to everyone who has sponsored him so far. If you’d like to support Pete’s fundraising, his page is still open here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/peter-kavanagh-90?utm_campaign=lc_frp_share_transaction_fundraiser_page_donation_received_-_nth_donation&utm_content=e0cf3c1f-081b-40c0-84fb-e789e6745827&utm_medium=email&utm_source=postoffice&utm_term=1787691436972.

Thank you Pete, for the years of effort and support for WKLB and congratulations on the brilliant PB! 👏👏👏

12/09/2026

🛟 WKLB are looking for a new Launch Authority 🛟

Could you help lead our team and keep West Kirby RNLI ready to respond when the pager sounds?

We’re looking for a team player with good communication and leadership skills, local maritime knowledge and a commitment to helping save lives at sea.

You’ll need to live or work within 15 minutes of West Kirby Lifeboat Station and be aged 18–70. Full training will be provided.

📍 West Kirby RNLI
⏰ Variable time commitment
📅 Applications close Sunday 4 October

Interested in joining? Find out more and apply here:

The RNLI’s Lifeboat Station in West Kirby Lifeboat Station is looking for a volunteer to join the existing team in the role of Launch Authority.