Hoylake and West Kirby RNLI Meet & Greet Day 2026

Hoylake and West Kirby RNLI’s lifesavers invite you to step aboard our lifeboats, check out our search and rescue equipment, and enjoy a day of fun for all the family at our annual Meet & Greet Day. Join us on Saturday 25 July from 10am until 4pm at Hoylake Lifeboat Station on North Parade as we raise funds to support our lifesaving charity. Visitors can tour Hoylake RNLI’s all-weather Shannon class lifeboat and hovercraft and West Kirby RNLI’s inshore IB1 lifeboat. Our launch and recovery vehicles will be on display, including Hoylake’s Shannon Launch and Recovery System (SLARS) and West Kirby’s Hagglund BV206 launch vehicle – the only vehicle of its type based on station in the RNLI. Come down to see how we work together using our specialist equipment to save lives at sea and around the region’s coast. The Wirral Coastguard Rescue Team will also be joining us and displaying their lifesaving kit. 🎁🛒 A fantastic range of RNLI gifts and souvenirs will be on sale, including our charity’s ever-popular Christmas cards and calendars ☕️🍰 Refreshments from Coffee Dream and homemade sweet treats will be available 🇪🇸🥘 The Tapas Kitchen, run by Hoylake RNLI volunteer and local restauranteur Colin Gordon, will be serving up Spanish-inspired hot food 🎟️🏆 Win some fantastic prizes from local businesses in a fundraising raffle 🌊🐾 Check out stalls and displays including from our RNLI Water Safety team, Birkenhead Kennels, and second-hand maritime books 🧽💦 See if you can soak the crew in the stocks 🚗🚂 See a range of classic cars and a miniature steam railway on display Getting here: 🚘🅿️ Public parking on North Parade is limited near Hoylake Lifeboat Station. We encourage walking, cycling or using public transport where possible 🛤️🚉 The nearest train stations are on the Merseyrail network at Manor Road and Hoylake 🚌🚏 The nearest bus stops are Manor Road Station A & B on Birkenhead Road/ Market Street served by the 38, 38A and 407 buses In 2025, lifeboats around the UK and Ireland launched over 9,000 times and helped 8,290 people, making it the sixth-busiest year in the charity’s history. A total of 272 lives were saved. But as a charity, the RNLI relies on voluntary donations to power its lifesaving work, which last year cost a total of £196.9 million. Last year’s Meet & Greet Day raised almost £5,000 to fund the lifesaving work of the RNLI. If you would like to donate online directly to support the lifeboat stations visit https://fundraise.rnli.org/fundraisers/Hoylake