Ostend at Anchor (Oostende voor Anker) has become one of Europes major maritime festivals, regularly attracting well over 250,000 visitors to the annual event. Next year will be the fifteenth edition with the theme Rescue at Sea and the organisers would like to extend an invitation to the RNLI to participate, either with a static exhibition, a lifeboat, or both. Ostend has a long maritime heritage and remains a busy commercial port - but pontoon berths for participating vessels are provided in the large Montgomery (tidal) and Mercator (locked) basins - both in the heart of a city that is en-fete for the duration of the festival. Over 150 ships attended this year, including many tallships and heritage vessels and, for the first time, a fleet of fifteen Dunkirk Little Ships - part of a commemoration of the liberation of Ostend in 1944, for which Viscount Lord Montgomery (Montys son) also attended. The RNLI would be considered a VIP participant, and (according to space required) provided at no charge with part or sole occupation of a modern, floored marquee in a prime location. In addition, accommodation for your staff could be provided, and assistance with travel/transport. The event has gained an enviable user-friendly reputation among participants for the facilities and entertainment that is provided for them, and of course, English is almost universally spoken in Flanders! Although now retired, I have been involved with Ostend at Anchor since its inception and have been asked to contact/liaise with the RNLI regarding possible participation. Im aware of your permanent exhibition at Chatham Historic Dockyard (I featured the museum and its then in-water lifeboat 44-001 in a book I wrote several years ago) - maybe in view of their proximity to the continent, the museum might wish to be involved. As mentioned, there is a website oostendevooranker.be which includes many pictures and videos that provide a flavour of the event. I look foward to hearing from you. Kind regards Wilf Lower
Posted on: Wed, 22 Oct 2014 08:14:22 +0000
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