RNLI Shop and Experience Barry Island

13/06/2026

12/06/2026

While out on exercise today, our volunteer crew had a front-row view as the tower at Aberthaw Power Station was brought down, marking the end of an era for a landmark that has been part of the Vale of Glamorgan skyline for generations.

From the deck of our Shannon class lifeboat, Chris captured this unique waterside perspective of a significant moment in the area’s industrial history.

Whether you knew it as a feature of the coastline, a navigational landmark, or just part of the view across the Bristol Channel, today marks the close of another chapter in Aberthaw’s story.

📹 Take a look at the footage below. 👇
Thanks Chris for taking the video and thanks Spud for keeping the Shannon steady in the lumpy conditions!

11/06/2026

This SATURDAY - who’s coming?!

See you at Craft Republic 😀

10/06/2026

We’ve got something special for Barry Dock RNLI supporters…

Our brand-new Barry Dock RNLI mugs have now arrived in the shop, featuring the name and number of our Shannon class lifeboat, Richard and Caroline Colton II (13-51).

These mugs are a great way to show your support for the volunteers who help save lives at sea.

Every purchase helps support the RNLI’s lifesaving work and helps ensure our volunteer crews have the training, equipment and support they need to answer the call, whenever it comes.

Pop into the RNLI Shop at Barry Island and pick one up while stocks last.

💙 Featuring our Shannon class lifeboat Richard and Caroline Colton II
💙 Lifeboat number 13-51
💙 Supporting the RNLI’s lifesaving work
💙 Perfect for RNLI supporters and collectors

Have you got yours yet? Let us know in the comments and share a photo of your new favourite mug! ☕️🚤

08/06/2026

Date for your diary!

As you know, Barry Dock RNLI is celebrating 125 years of saving lives at sea, and you’re invited to join us at Craft Republic for an afternoon of music, food, fundraising and family fun on the waterfront.

🚤 Lifeboat demonstration in the dock
🎶 Barry Super Choir – 2.30pm
🎸 Barry Ukulele Band – 3.15pm
🎵 Barry Male Voice Choir – 4.30pm onwards
🍛 Street food from Cegin Halfnhalf
🧁 Special RNLI 125th anniversary cupcakes from Num Nums Bakery
🍺 Doggy Paddle Pale Ale from Dogs Window Brewery, with a contribution from every pint sold going to the RNLI
🛍 RNLI pop-up shop

📅 Saturday 13 June
⏰ From 2pm
📍 Craft Republic, Barry Waterfront

A huge thank you to the team at Craft Republic for organising and hosting this fantastic event in support of Barry Dock RNLI’s 125th anniversary. We’re also incredibly grateful to the musicians, local businesses and volunteers who are helping make the day possible.

Come along, enjoy a great afternoon on the waterfront and help support your local lifeboat station.

We look forward to seeing you there! 🚤❤️

08/06/2026

Today we’re celebrating the sea that inspires so much of what we do at the RNLI Visitor Experience at Barry Island.

Whether you’re spending the day on the beach, enjoying a walk along the coast or visiting us to learn more about the RNLI’s lifesaving work, World Ocean Day is a reminder of why our seas are so special and why it’s important that we all play our part in protecting them.

Why not pop in and learn some simple water safety advice that could one day help save a life.

💙 Celebrate our oceans
💙 Learn about lifesaving at sea
💙 Discover local maritime history
💙 Help protect our coastline for future generations

Happy World Ocean Day from everyone at the RNLI Visitor Experience and Shop at Barry Island.

05/06/2026

Paddleboarding continues to grow in popularity across the Vale coastline, and on a calm, sunny day in places like Whitmore Bay and Jackson’s Bay, it can be a brilliant way to enjoy the water.

But conditions can change quickly.

Once you move beyond the shelter of the headlands at Nell's Point and Friars, the sea can become very different, with stronger winds, currents and more challenging conditions than people may expect from the shore.

If you’re new to paddleboarding, why not consider heading out with an experienced local group such as Island SUP, where you can learn the basics, build confidence and better understand local conditions before venturing further along the coastline.

A few simple safety steps can make a big difference:

Wear a buoyancy aid
It helps keep you afloat if you fall in and makes it easier to recover back onto your board.

Carry a phone in a waterproof pouch
Keep it on you, not attached to the board, so you can call for help quickly if needed.

Wear the correct leash
Your leash keeps you connected to your board. On rivers or moving water, use a quick-release waist leash.

Avoid offshore winds
If the wind is blowing out to sea, it can quickly carry you and your board away from shore. At lifeguarded beaches, check the orange windsock before heading out.

If you fall off and can’t get back on, stay with your board. Your board will help keep you afloat and is much easier for our volunteer crew to spot, especially as many boards are large and brightly coloured.

If you see someone in trouble in the water:
📞 Call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.

04/06/2026

🚴‍♀️ From Barry Island to the Mediterranean! 🚴‍♀️

Many of you will know Jackie from the RNLI shop and visitor experience on Barry Island Promenade, where she volunteers her time in the shop.

Now she’s taking her support for Barry Dock RNLI to a whole new level.

Jackie is preparing to take on the incredible Channel to the Med challenge, cycling around 840 miles across France in just 14 days. Starting on the Normandy coast, she’ll make her way all the way to the Mediterranean Sea, tackling some of France’s most famous roads and climbs along the way, including the legendary Mont Ventoux.

Jackie is a familiar face to many visitors at the RNLI shop but now she’s swapping the shop floor for the saddle and taking on a challenge that will test her determination, resilience and stamina.

As a charity, the RNLI relies on the dedication of volunteers both on and off the water. Whether it’s launching lifeboats, fundraising, educating people about water safety or volunteering in our shop, every volunteer plays a vital role in helping save lives at sea.

We’re incredibly proud of Jackie and wish her the very best of luck for the challenge ahead. 💙💛

If you’d like to support her fundraising for Barry Dock RNLI, you can sponsor her here:

👉 https://www.justgiving.com/page/jacqueline-brown-1780301076347?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=WA

👉Read the full story here - https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2026/june/03/barry-dock-rnli-volunteer-tackles-tough-cycling-challenge-in-europe

Good luck Jackie – we’ll be cheering you on every mile of the way! 🚴‍♀️👏

31/05/2026

Wow have you read about this rescue? There are some super important messages here - please take care and follow the advice.

29/05/2026

At 105 years young, Olive Normansell proved you’re never too old to support the RNLI. 💙

Olive paid a visit to the RNLI Visitor Experience at Barry Island last week, where she enjoyed testing out the D class lifeboat — and we think she may well be our oldest ever visitor!

It was a pleasure to welcome Olive, who showed that adventure doesn’t have an age limit! Everyone at Barry Dock RNLI hopes to see her back again soon. 👏