POOLE RNLI volunteers were invited to Buckingham Palace to celebrate the charity's 200th anniversary.

Station stalwarts, Jonathan Clark and Paul Taylor attended the RNLI 200th anniversary at Buckingham Palace on May 23 among 2,500 other attendees in the presence of HRH The Princess Royal, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and RNLI President HRH The Duke of Kent.

Jonathan, Poole’s longest-serving crew volunteer, joined the crew in 1983, serving alongside his father John Clark and cousin Peter Benson.

Jonathan said: "‘What a fantastic anniversary year this has been, and the celebration continues, being at this special Garden party, sharing it with my wife, friends, and other volunteers from all over the country, whom we share a unique understanding, even if our experiences are somewhat different.

"Days like this remind you how fortunate you are, I am immensely proud to be a lifeboat volunteer, to be able to help someone when they really need us."

Penny Stout, a member of the Poole and district RNLI fundraising team, also attended the Garden party after awarded a 30-year long-service medal in 2023. 

Paul's wife, Nora, joined him at the event and is also involved in fundraising for the Poole RNLI.