A restored 100-year-old lifeboat will be in Centenary Square on Saturday as the Bradford RNLI Branch celebrates 150 years of fundraising for the charity.

The Whitby lifeboat, the William Riley, took part in a notable service with the ‘Bradford’ lifeboat which rescued a stricken hospital ship in October 1914, when 145 people were saved.

The boat will be in the centre of Bradford to mark the 150 year history of the city’s branch of fundraisers.

Martin Chappelow, chairman of the Bradford RNLI Branch, said the land-locked city has a long and proud history of helping the charity save lives at sea and has so far funded nine lifeboats – the first stationed at Ramsgate in 1859.

He said: “Even though we are so far from the sea, people in Bradford are generous in their support for the RNLI and have great admiration for the work of the charity’s volunteer lifeboats crews.

“This support dates right back to the middle of the 19th century, when mill owners first started to raise funds for a lifeboat after a ship carrying wool for Bradford mills was wrecked off the Welsh coast with the loss of many lives.”

Since that first collection, when £260 was raised to provide the ‘Bradford’ for Ramsgate in Kent, people in the city have continued to provide vessels for several lifeboat stations.

The Arun class lifeboat City of Bradford IV carried out a series of daring rescues during terrible storms in the winter of 1978-79, for which Coxswain Brian Bevan received bronze, silver and gold RNLI gallantry medals – an unprecedented achievement.

The present lifeboat, City of Bradford V, is an Atlantic 75 class and is part of the RNLI’s relief fleet, operating at lifeboat stations when their own vessel is being repaired or having a re-fit.

Funded by an appeal and named in the city centre in 1999, the boat is currently stationed at Aberystwyth in Wales.

Since going into service she has carried out 139 rescues, saving 193 people.

Mr Chappelow said: “I know that the people of Bradford are proud of their association with the RNLI and I hope they will come out in force to support us on Saturday.

“The William Riley will be a remarkable sight in Centenary Square and I’m sure people will want to come and find out more about the lifeboat, the RNLI and how they can help support the charity.”

Lisa Cooke, RNLI area fundraising manager, said: “Martin and his fellow RNLI fundraisers in Bradford do a wonderful job of both raising money for our charity and raising its profile in a landlocked city.

“The work they do will ensure that the people of Bradford will be able to continue their support for the RNLI for many years to come.”

e-mail: james.rush@telegraphandargus.co.uk

City of Bradford pride

In January, 1999, the Telegraph & Argus reported how Bradford “was on the crest of a wave” after hitting its target of £65,000 to buy a new inshore lifeboat.

The boat was named City of Bradford V in Centenary Square by the Lord Mayor of Bradford on May 22.

The campaign to buy the new boat was started in May 1997 and RNLI area organiser Julie Mounty said it was special day for the city.

She said: “This boat is for the people of Bradford and it will be put to good use.” The RNLI also celebrated its 175th anniversary in 1999.