Pwllheli RNLI receives approval for new boathouse

The new boathouse will be located next to Plas Heli, on the opposite side to the river to the present boathouse, which has served Pwllheli lifeboats for over 120 years. Along with the Shannon class lifeboat, the D-Class Robert J Wright will also be housed at the new station.

Together with new and improved facilities for the volunteer crew members, the boathouse will include a souvenir outlet and a public engagement area for the public to view and learn about the lifeboat. Work on the new boathouse is scheduled to start in May 2019 with the completion of the boathouse in 2020 ready for the arrival of the new lifeboat. No official name has been decided for the new lifeboat but officials at the RNLI headquarters in Poole are working closely with the donors. The official ON number for the new Shannon will be 1346 with a hull number of somewhere in the region of 13-39.

A community fundraising appeal has now been launched with some of the children of current crew already thinking of ways to support the appeal. Lily and Noah Green, whose father Andy serves on the crew are hoping to kick start fundraising by selling loom bands in aid of the appeal. It is hoped the community will follow their lead and dig deep to support the fundraising drive.

Those wishing for further information or to be involved with regards to supporting the appeal, may do so by contacting the station.

Clive Moore, Coxswain at Pwllheli RNLI and boathouse architect said:

'The new station will boast a state of the art facility for the crew and it will be an asset for the Local community, coupled with the fact that the RNLI has chosen to invest in Pwllheli, is great news, securing the future of Pwllheli for future generations.'

Alwyn Roberts, station mechanic at Pwllheli RNLI said:

'These are exciting times at Pwllheli, not just at crew level but also at operational level. The crew over the next two years will be enrolled on training for the new Shannon which is due to arrive in 2020.'

For further information, please contact Tomos Moore, Pwllheli RNLI Crew Member & Lifeboat Press Officer on 07552 446447 & Danielle Rush, Regional Media Manager on 07786668829

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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