Big crowds turn out for Staithes RNLI naming ceremony

Champagne flowed over the Atlantic 85 inshore boat which was formally named Sheila & Dennis Tongue III by Mrs Susan Tongue from the family of the late donor couple who left a legacy that is funding four new £235,000 lifeboats for the lifesaving charity.

Among the guests at the ceremony were the Marquis of Normanby, who is President of the Staithes and Runswick RNLI branch, the Marchioness of Normanby, and Charles Hunter-Pease, until recently the national chairman of the RNLI. They were joined by past crew members from the last 40 years, from other Yorkshire RNLI stations including Whitby and Redcar, HM Coastguards and many more friends and supporters of the charity.

Raymond Tongue, nephew of the late Sheila and Dennis Tongue of Devon, formally handed over the lifeboat. He recalled how Sheila and Dennis had retired to Exmouth in Devon and been much impressed by the work of the RNLI and its place in the community.

In his speech, accepting the new lifeboat into the care of the RNLI, Mr Hunter-Pease praised the courage of the crews, the dedication of the volunteer shore helpers and the generosity of the public who fund the work of the RNLI.

He then formally handed the lifeboat to David Porritt, the Lifeboat Operations Manager at Staithes and Runswick, who expressed his thanks to the donor family who had travelled from the west Country and the Midlands for the ceremony.

Mr Neil Anderson, chairman of the branch, added that the station was ‘tremendously grateful’ for the Tongue family legacy. He recalled how the outgoing lifeboat Pride of Leicester had rescued more than 150 people in its years of service at Staithes, and described the technological advances of the new boat which is faster and can carry more crew and more casualties..

The service of dedication was led by the station chaplain, Reverend Alan Coates who blessed the lifeboat. Patricia Hutchinson gave a vote of thanks.

Four children with family connections to the Staithes lifeboat station - Scott Baxter, Kaden Porritt, Carter Parkin and Kira Johnson presented bouquets to Susan and Andrea Tongue, the Marchioness of Normanby and Patricia Hutchinson.

A further presentation of a framed photograph of Staithes was made to Andrew Ashton, outgoing Divisional Operations Manager of the RNLI and a longstanding friend of the Staithes station.

Music and singing was provided by the Men of Staithes choir and the North Skelton Band followed by a reception in the boathouse..

An additional benefit for the RNLI was the crowd adding a further £500 to the charity's coffers at the station shop and a stall selling raffle tickets and ducks for the annual duck race at Staithes Lifeboat weekend on August 18 and 19.

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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 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 146,000 lives.

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