The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has raised £32,000 at a special anniversary gala event.

The gala, which looked to begin a years worth of celebrations to mark the 200 year anniversary of the RNLI, was attended by 230 people with links to the charity.

Held at the Comis Hotel and sponsored by renewable energy firm ‘Orsted’, attendees were treated to a three course meal and entertainment from the local band ‘Retrospect’.

In the process, guests helped raise a total of £32,000 towards the running costs of the Isle of Man’s five lifeboat stations thanks to an auction and raffle.

A spokesperson from Douglas RNLI said: ‘During the evening, guests heard about the invaluable work of the charity in both Manx waters and further afield, highlighting the level of commitment from a dedicated bunch of volunteers from across the island.’

The RNLI charity aims to save lives at sea, and its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts.

The charity operates over 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and, in a normal year, more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 142,700 lives.

The spokesperson continued: ‘During 2022, island lifeboat crews went to sea on numerous occasions and there were 49 call-outs to those in distress, with five lives saved.

‘There are around 200 volunteers island-wide and, on average, each of the crew spent 30-40 hours at sea between training and rescues.

‘The Isle of Man is the birthplace of the RNLI, which was founded by Sir William Hillary in 1824. As a Douglas resident, he saw first-hand the treacherous nature of the sea, witnessing dozens of shipwrecks around the Manx coast and saving many lives with the help of locals.

‘Ever since, the island – which is also base to the first ever lifeboat station in the British Isles – has had an inextricable link to saving lives at sea.’

Gilli Cowley, chair of the Douglas RNLI lifeboat guild, said: ‘It truly was an evening to remember. To be able to welcome our volunteers and supporters from across the island made it a very special event indeed.

’Of course, this is only the beginning of a year of celebrations marking the RNLI’s 200th anniversary in the island where it all began.

‘The support of guests in both the auction and raffle was beyond generous and, on behalf of the RNLI, I would like to thank everyone who attended.

‘As a charity, the RNLI relies on donations to be able to carry out its lifesaving work, so I would like to say a sincere thank you to everyone involved for making the event such a success. Not least, our principal sponsor Orsted which has a long history of partnership with the RNLI and who we look forward to working with in the years to come.’

Orsted, the principal sponsor of the RNLI who had members of its team present at the gala, has helped to fund seven lifeboat stations across the UK.

The renewable energy company has already pledged to further support the search and rescue operation in the island.

Osrsted development director, John Galloway, said: ‘The rich nautical heritage of the island cannot be better summed up than the work the RNLI carries out in Manx seas and the countless hours given by dedicated volunteer lifeboat crews in the island community.

‘It is a pleasure to be collaborating with the RNLI at such a significant time in its history and where Sir William Hillary’s vision for a dedicated service became a reality. Nearly 200 years later, the commitment of RNLI lifesavers continues, assisted by a community of generous supporters.

‘The gala dinner was another shining example of that and a fitting start to the RNLI’s bicentenary celebrations right here in the Isle of Man.’