On Wednesday,9 October 2024, Miranda and Graham Jaggers from Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) Teddington took part in the Annual National Service for Seafarers (ANSS) at St Paul's Cathedral in London, in the presence of Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal.

The service gave recognition to the 200th anniversary of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

The ANSS has been held annually since 1905.

Organised by The Seafarers' Charity and The Corporation of Trinity House, it aims to recognise, celebrate, and express thanks for the seafaring community.

The service is dedicated to seafarers from various maritime professions, including the Royal Navy, the Merchant Navy, fishing fleets, workboats, cruise liners, commercial shipping, yachts and ferries, as well as maritime welfare charities, nautical schools, maritime youth groups and veterans' associations.

The RNLI marked its 200th anniversary on 4 March 2024, so this year's ANSS recognised the 200 years of courage and dedication of the RNLI's lifesavers, and their vital contribution to the safety of those at sea.

Since the RNLI was founded by Sir William Hillary in 1824, the charity's volunteer lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

Several RNLI representatives were involved in the service at St Paul's.

Several RNLI volunteers were in the Colour Party, forming part of the procession, including Eamon Fanning MBE from Gravesend lifeboat station; Alexandra Cook from Chiswick lifeboat station; Graham Jaggers and Miranda Jaggers from Teddington lifeboat station, and Paul King from Tynemouth lifeboat station.

RNLI Volunteers at ANSS Left to Right Ian Smith, Station Manager, Gravesend LBS Graham Jaggers, Launch Authority, Teddington LBS Paul King, Crew, Tynemouth LBS – 200th anniversary this year too Miranda Jaggers, Water Safety Officer, Teddington LBS (Credit: RNLI)

The Venerable Robert Townsend, Archdeacon of Meirionnydd, is an RNLI volunteer and gave the sermon during the service.

Other RNLI speakers in the service included Katarina Harrison-Gaze, an inshore lifeboat crew member at Staithes and Runswick; Emily Burgess, an RNLI face-to-face fundraiser, and Ian Smith, the station manager at Gravesend RNLI lifeboat station.

Around 200 RNLI representatives were present in the congregation, including Peter Sparkes, the RNLI's Chief executive, and Fiona Fell, the RNLI's Deputy Chair.

Miranda Jaggers, water safety officer at RNLI Teddington, said: "This was an amazing experience and a real honour to represent the RNLI in the colour party at the National Service for Seafarers in this our 200th Anniversary.

"It was a very moving service, with wonderful music."

Founded in a London tavern on 4 March 1824 following an appeal from Sir William Hillary, who lived on the Isle of Man and witnessed many shipwrecks, the RNLI has continued saving lives at sea throughout the tests of its history, including tragic disasters, funding challenges and two World Wars.

Today, the RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations around the UK and Ireland, including four on the River Thames, such as in Teddington, and has seasonal lifeguards on over 240 lifeguarded beaches around the UK.

It designs and builds its own lifeboats and runs domestic and international water safety programmes.

While much has changed in 200 years, two things have remained the same – the charity's dependence on volunteers, who give their time and commitment to save others, and the voluntary contributions from the public which have funded the service for the past two centuries.