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One Year in the new station for Stonehaven RNLI
It’s hard to believe Stonehaven RNLI’s new station building has been operational for a full year, and what a difference it has made to all the volunteer crew and the community.
The most obvious benefit is having all facilities under the one roof: a substantial boat hall with public viewing gallery, significantly increased crew facilities and a new RNLI shop.
With everything under the one roof the crew no longer need to race down to the old crew portacabin, get kitted up and then run round to the boat shed to prep the boat. Now it’s simply a matter of a flight of stairs.
The boat hall itself is more spacious, making getting the boat in and out simpler and providing much improved storage and work area for the mechanics.
Volunteer boat mechanic Gav Forsyth, who has experienced working in both old and new facilities, commented: ‘The biggest improvement is the amount of space we have not only for carrying out operational roles, but for training and maintenance also. From a mechanics point of view the space in the boat hall is a big improvement. Giving us better storage and accessibility and enabling us to carry out routine maintenance in better conditions and within a larger workspace.’
The crew facilities space has more than doubled. There now a separate kitchen area, crew breakout/training room, a second large training room, improved changing area, increased bathroom facilities and a separate briefing for room with dedicated helmet and life jacket storage.
‘From an operational perspective, the new Stonehaven Lifeboat Station has made an incredible difference to us as a crew. For us, it feels like we finally have a proper home for the lifeboat and its crew. Having better changing facilities, dedicated spaces where we can train, prepare when we get a shout and spend time together has made a real difference to the crew,’ says boat crew volunteer Caroline Tierney.
‘It has also enabled us to welcome more people from the local community, show them the lifeboat and share what it means to be part of the crew. We are proud to have a station that brings us closer to the community and helps us continue serving the people of Stonehaven and the surrounding area when they need us most.’
Stonehaven RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, Peter Esson adds: ‘The space and facilities make it a pleasure to come down for training or when we are out on a shout. The ability to break out into separate rooms for different classroom sessions greatly enhances the training opportunities. I'm very privileged and humbled to be the Operations Manager for the station. There’s no comparison between the temporary portacabin we had for over ten years and what we have now.’
The increased storage has also been a boon to our fundraisers providing them with better cupboard space at the station. This means our dedicated fundraisers are no longer having to find space in their own homes for fundraising materials and merchandise.
Incorporated into the new station building are two completely new facilities for Stonehaven. A public viewing gallery in the boat hall allowing the public to view the ‘Jamie Hunter’, Stonehaven RNLI’s Atlantic 85, which is incredibly popular. And then there is the new RNLI shop, which since its opening just over a year ago has proved very popular with locals and tourists alike, raising significant funds for the RNLI.
Emily Blake, one of the shop team volunteers, commented: ‘We've now got a brilliant team of 30 shop volunteers who welcome customers 7 days a week. We've heard personal stories from customers about their own interactions with the RNLI in the past and their reasons for supporting us. We couldn't have asked for a better first year and look forward to seeing what the next year brings.’
All of this has been made possible by the huge support and generosity of the Stonehaven community and major benefactor Professor James Allen, whose considerable generosity provided Stonehaven RNLI’s Atlantic 85 ‘Jamie Hunter’ as well as the primary funding for the new station.
Notes to editors
· Stonehaven RNLI was re-established in 2013 with the placing on service of a B-Class Atlantic 75. The current Inshore lifeboat is an Atlantic 85 B-Class the ‘Jamie Hunter’
· On 25th February 2024- Stonehaven RNLI commemorated the 150th Anniversary of the tragedy of the 1874 Stonehaven lifeboat disaster
· Stonehaven RNLI’s new station building was officially opened 6th September 2025
RNLI media contacts
Anna Carlton, Lifeboat Press Officer for Stonehaven RNLI, 07530 338562, [email protected]
Richard Smith, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]
Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]
RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789
RNLI online
For more information on the RNLI please visit rnli.org. News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the RNLI News Centre rnli.org/news-and-media.
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 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 142,200 lives.
RNLI Media Contacts
For further information, please contact:
Anna Carlton, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI Scotland, [email protected]
Richard Smith, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]
Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]
RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]
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.
Learn more about the RNLI
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
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.