The Bishop of Chester, Mark Tanner has been taking part in 200th anniversary celebrations of the RNLI in Grosvenor Park, Chester commemorating a historic link with the Diocese.
It was on the 4 March 1824, the then Bishop of Chester, Charles James Blomfeld attended a Public Meeting held at the City of London Tavern. He was one of the dignitaries who put forward one of the twenty original resolutions that led the way for the formation of the Institution. Since it was set up two hundred years ago, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution has saved over 140,000 lives and now runs over 237 lifeboat stations and 220 beach lifeguard units.
Bishop Mark was blessing a new variety of commemorative roses which were grown to mark the 200th anniversary and have been gifted to the city. The species, ‘With Courage’ were first shown at the RHS Chelsea flower show earlier this year. In this prayers, Bishop Mark thanked God for the work of the RNLI on our region’s shores. He prayed for the safety of all seafarers and for those whose lives are in peril in our waters in these times of international conflict.
RNLI anniversary celebrations continue at Chester Cathedral on 6 October with the arrival of a commemorative scroll which is making its way around the UK on a journey which began on the 4 March this year at Westminster Abbey.
Read more about the scroll here