Jack Lowe is on a mission to photograph all 238 Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat stations on glass and has recently completed the Wirral leg of his 10-year project.
Lowe started the Lifeboat Station Project in 2014, using a glass technique developed in the 1850s.
The RNLI is a charity of volunteers who save lives at sea in the UK and Ireland. The organisation is funded only by voluntary contributions.
In 2024, it will be the 200th anniversary of the RNLI and Lowe hopes to complete his photography project by then, to celebrate the milestone.
Sadly, due to the pandemic and social distancing measures, Lowe’s work had to take a two year break - after working on the coast for over five years.
The Lifeboat Station Project remained Lowe’s full-time occupation and he was finally able to return to lifeboat stations in March once receiving the go-ahead from the RNLI.
On March 29, Lowe started his Wirral leg of the project with a trip to RNLI West Kirby, before heading to Hoylake and New Brighton.
Ahead of his visit, he said: “After such a long pause to my coastal travels, it’s a huge relief to have been given the green light by the RNLI.
“With 150 stations completed and 88 to go, I can’t wait to make new work with the lifeboat volunteers and to continue sharing this good news story. And this leg of the journey is particularly exciting as it’s the first time I’ve been to the Wirral!
“The enforced pause has, of course, delayed the completion of the project. However – if everything goes smoothly from this point – I’m now set to finish in 2024, the RNLI’s 200th anniversary.”
Lowe has now visted over 150 lifeboat stations across the UK and Ireland.
Find out more about the project and how you can get behind it at lifeboatstationproject.com
Here are Jack Lowe’s impressive images on glass.
1. The crew at RNLI Hoylake (Credit © Jack Lowe / The Lifeboat Station Project 2022)
2. A Shannon-class lifeboat at RNLI Hoylake (Credit © Jack Lowe / The Lifeboat Station Project 2022)
3. Howie Owen is the coxswain at RNLI Hoylake (Credit © Jack Lowe / The Lifeboat Station Project 2022)
4. The crew at RNLI West Kirby (Credit © Jack Lowe / The Lifeboat Station Project 2022)