Bridlington RNLI is set to welcome its new Shannon class lifeboat

The lifesaving vessel is being timed to arrive at 1:22pm to add a sense of occasion, as her operational boat number is 13.22.

The charity’s new lifeboat will be named Antony Patrick Jones in memory of a local man who bequeathed a substantial amount to Bridlington RNLI. This generous bequest mainly funded the lifeboat station’s new Shannon.

Antony Patrick Jones was an only child and spent his childhood and young adult life in Bridlington. He was a keen horseman and was involved with assisting in Riding for the Disabled. He also enjoyed swimming.

His late mother, Mrs Constance Jones, was an active member of Bridlington Ladies Lifeboat Guild.

Bridlington RNLI’s Shannon class lifeboat will be housed in a new purpose built boathouse.

The Art Deco style building replaces the lifeboat station on South Marine Drive which was too small and outdated for the RNLI’s needs.

The two-storey station offers the extra space required to house the new Shannon class lifeboat and launch vehicle. This means that they will be able to remain coupled together when not in use, thus speeding up the launch process when the crew is called out on a lifesaving mission.

Its location adjacent to the beach, means that the lifeboat will no longer need to be taken along the main road to reach the sea but will have quicker and more direct access to the water. The extra space will also mean that the charity’s inshore and all-weather lifeboats can be housed in the same building, as previously the inshore lifeboat was stored separately on Princess Mary Promenade.

RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, Keith Turnbull, said: ‘Naturally we’ll really miss our current all-weather lifeboat Marine Engineer but we’re also excited about receiving a Shannon, whose advanced technology means we’ll be able to reach people a lot more quickly and further off shore.

‘The arrival of Bridlington’s Shannon class lifeboat has been much anticipated. We really hope that as many people as possible turn up to witness what promises to be a truly historic occasion.’

Chris Brompton, Bridlington RNLI’s station mechanic, added: ‘Our volunteer crew can’t wait to start their new chapter of lifesaving with the Shannon and we’ve really enjoyed our recent training ahead of her arrival. The state-of-the-art vessel is 50% faster than our current all-weather lifeboat and this will ensure that those in need are reached even more quickly than before.’

The new Shannon class lifeboat will be named during an official ceremony next year.

RNLI Photo captions

1. Credit: RNLI/Nathan Williams

2. Credit: Bridlington RNLI.

3. Credit: RNLI/Nathan Williams

Notes to editors

The Shannon class lifeboat:

· The Shannon class all-weather lifeboat costs £2.2M.

· The Shannon class lifeboat is the first modern RNLI all-weather lifeboat to be powered by water jets and not propellers.

Capable of 25 knots, the Shannon is 50% faster than the lifeboats it replaces, so ensuring that those in need are reached even faster.

· Bridlington RNLI’s Shannon has been built at the charity’s All-weather Lifeboat Centre in Poole, Dorset.

Bridlington RNLI’s Shannon:

· Bridlington RNLI’s new Shannon replaces the station’s current all-weather lifeboat Marine Engineer as she has reached the end of her operational life.

Bridlington RNLI’s new lifeboat station:

· Bridlington RNLI’s new lifeboat station was designed by long-established York architects Brierley Groom and built by Malton-based contractor Scothern Construction Ltd.

· Bridlington RNLI’s previous all-weather lifeboat station started operating in 1903.

RNLI media contacts

For more information, please contact please contact Clare Hopps, RNLI Regional Media Officer, on: 07824 518641 or at [email protected] or, Andy Brompton, Bridlington RNLI Volunteer Press Officer on: 07919 451018.

Media invitation:

Event: The arrival of Bridlington RNLI’s new Shannon class lifeboat.

When: Sunday 12 November at 12.30pm at the South Bay, Bridlington (the media are advised to arrive early to set up, as parking is limited in the area).

Where: Bridlington Lifeboat Station, The Spa Promenade, Bridlington, East Yorkshire, YO15 3JH.

Opportunity: To film and photograph the arrival of the charity’s new Shannon class lifeboat and to interview RNLI volunteer crew about its arrival.

Contact: If you wish to attend please contact Clare Hopps, RNLI Regional Media Officer North East & East, on 07824 518641 or at [email protected] or, Andy Brompton, Bridlington RNLI Volunteer Press Officer on: 07919 451018.

*Andy Brompton is the media contact on the day.

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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