AN official launch will be staged next month for the 125th anniversary of the lifesaving work of Minehead Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) along a 33-mile stretch of the Bristol Channel.

Guests on March 3 will include Lord Lieutenant of Somerset Mohammed Saddiq and Deputy Lieutenant Rear Admiral Ian Moncrieff.

Minehead RNLI chairman Richard Newton said: “This year is about celebrating the rich heritage of this vital coastal asset and sowing the seeds for another 125 years of lifesaving on the Exmoor coast.

“We want to create greater awareness of our work and build on our excellent record of community and volunteer engagement.”

Crew member Christian Manalo said: “The RNLI’s values align with mine and I was inspired by the amazing team here.

“The RNLI is all about teamwork, which was a strong part of my career already.

“Being part of the crew challenges me physically and mentally, and it is the sense of purpose which inspires me to keep coming back.”

Mr Manalo, whose background is lifesaving as a swimming pool manager and lifeguard, said the anniversary was a powerful reminder of the RNLI’s legacy and was about pride and responsibility.

He said: “It makes you realise you are part of something much bigger than yourself.”

The Minehead station was founded in 1901 following the famous overland launch of lifeboat Louisa in 1899, when the Lynmouth lifeboat crew found themselves unable to launch in challenging sea conditions to a vessel in difficulty off Porlock Weir.

Villagers and teams of horses undertook a backbreaking and exhausting 13-mile overland tow of the lifeboat across Exmoor to launch from Porlock Weir, enabling them to save all hands on board.

Today, Minehead boasts two RIB rescue craft, an Atlantic 85 and D-Class, and plays host to a thriving community of crew, fund-raisers, and shop volunteers selling a wide range of RNLI goods.