State-of-the-art Shannon lifeboat set to return to Great Yarmouth and Gorleston
A state-of-the-art Shannon all-weather lifeboat is set to return to Great Yarmouth and Gorleston RNLI on Saturday April 11th to take up service saving lives along the coast
The George and Frances Phelon will arrive between the piers at exactly 13.44 pm which corresponds to the boat number on the side of the boat.
In the event of unexpected delays owing to bad weather, updates will be posted on the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston RNLI Facebook page.
Well-wishers who want to see the boat arrive, are advised to watch the boat from Gorleston pier. They will see the boat coming up from the south from Lowestoft and around the piers into the river.
The boat will then be moored at a new site at the former pilot station which the RNLI has recently obtained from the Great Yarmouth Port Authority.
There is no public access to the pilot station and it will not be possible to see the boat or the names up close. However there are plans for an event later in the year when the public will once again be able to see the boat. Further information will also be made available on the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston RNLI Facebook page.
The George and Frances Phelon is the first Legacy Boat for the RNLI and is named after a couple from Bradford who donated a substantial amount of money to the RNLI.
This Legacy Lifeboat is decorated with the names of thousands of other people who have donated money to the RNLI in their wills.
The Shannon originally arrived in Great Yarmouth and Gorleston in 2023 but had to leave again in 2024 after berthing problems at the existing RNLI station.
While a new berth at the old pilot station was found and fitted out, the George and Frances Phelon went on service at Falmouth and then at Kilkeel Lifeboat Station in Northern Ireland.
It later returned to the RNLI headquarters in Poole for a full re-fit before coming back to Great Yarmouth and Gorleston.
Lifeboat Operations Manager Lindsey Wigmore said: ‘We are delighted to have the Shannon back. It’s a great boat which really will help us manage better in shallow waters, such as the sandbanks off the Norfolk coast.’
RNLI Head of Region Rebecca Felton said: ‘This is wonderful news for the people of Great Yarmouth and Gorleston and we look forward to the George and Frances Phelon being able to help keep the Norfolk coast safe.
‘We are also incredibly grateful to the donors whose generosity has paid for the boat. We want to make sure that it is well used in saving lives at sea for many years to come.’
ENDS
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Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates over 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and, in a normal year, more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.
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For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
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