28. Dr. Joanna Bellis: The Tankard with a Tale

RNLI Heritage Officer Dr Joanna Bellis on fundraising chickens, and her favourite object in the RNLI Museum collection

When you have 200 years’ worth of stories scattered around an organisation as far-flung as the RNLI, sometimes some detective work is in order. RNLI Heritage Officer Joanna Bellis reveals how the tales behind some her favourite artefacts in the RNLI’s collection came to light.

Hear why donors couldn’t say no to a fundraising chicken. And learn why a certain silver tankard proved to be a bit of a Russian doll – inside it, lay the secret to a dramatic rescue straight from a Boys Own adventure.

200 Voices is produced by Adventurous Audio for the RNLI 

Interview by the RNLI's Isobel Noctor

Soundtrack composed and performed by Jon Nicholls 

The RNLI is a charity celebrating 200 years of saving lives at sea - find out more at RNLI.org/200