Scottish RNLI Lifeboat Station to Receive Charity’s First sea-going Memorial
Invergordon’s new Shannon class lifeboat is set to host the names of thousands of people being commemorated by loved ones in the RNLI’s new and unique memorial. The name of each person being remembered will be featured in the lifeboat’s letters and numbers, or decal, displayed on the lifeboat’s hull
The names of those remembered will together make up the shape of the new lifeboat’s identifying operational number (decal), positioned on the hull of the Shannon – due to be placed on service in Scotland from spring 2020.
Area Lifesaving Manager (ALM), Stuart Gudgeon, is delighted the volunteer crew at Invergordon will have the opportunity to launch with people’s memories by their side. He says:
'We are all thrilled Invergordon is going to receive an all-weather Shannon class lifeboat. It has a 25-knot capability and jet propellers, which will give our volunteers more manoeuvrability in the water, allowing us to get to hard to reach places and to get to those in need more quickly.
‘We feel honoured to have been chosen to receive this Shannon with the very special decal on it, especially as it is the first lifeboat in the RNLI’s history to have the decal filled with the remembered loved ones of our supporters, who, by signing up and donating to Launch a Memory, help us save other people’s loved ones.’
RNLI Invergordon lifeboat crew launched their Trent class, Douglas Aikman Smith, 20 times in 2018 rescuing 13 people. Since the Trent went on service in 1996, the crew has launched in her 327 times and rescued 194 people, saving eight people’s lives.
The lifeboat is operated by 20 volunteer crew and has an additional eight operational volunteers, who work in a variety of roles, including Port QSHE Manager, Distillery Process Manager and a self-employed joiner.
Sign up to Launch a Memory by visiting rnli.org/bytheirside.
There is a suggested donation of £30/€30. Every donation contributes to powering the RNLI charity in its lifesaving work around the UK and Ireland.
RNLI media contacts
For more information please contact Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Media Officer, on 07920365929 or email
[email protected].
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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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
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