104-year-old Aimee Birrell dreams of Jeanie at Portpatrick RNLI
The crew at Portpatrick RNLI Lifeboat station were delighted to receive a painting of RNLI lifeboat The Jeanie from 104-year-old Mrs Aimee Birrell of Ayr.
Accompanied by a letter and a photograph of the artist herself, the painting by Mrs Birrell, which was completed some years ago, is of 47ft Watson Class lifeboat The Jeanie which was on station at Portpatrick RNLI from March 1961 to 1986, during which time she was launched 89 times and saved 46 lives.
Mrs Birrell’s letter to the crew requested that the painting be hung in the crew room ‘where you hang your yellow coats’. She also went on to say ‘I think you are wonderful people giving your time and lives to help save others’.
Ian Marshall, RNLI mechanic at Portpatrick RNLI, said: ‘The Portpatrick RNLI crew were extremely touched to receive such a beautiful painting from Mrs Birrell and we were only too happy to ensure that her request of hanging the painting in our crew room was carried out. We would like to extend our thanks to Mrs Birrell for this extremely kind and thoughtful gesture.’
Both The Jeanie and the current RNLI Lifeboat stationed at Portpatrick, Tamar class John Buchanan Barr were funded by donations and legacies from members of the public. It’s public support that allows the RNLI to continue to save lives at sea. Our boats, equipment and training are wholly funded by the generosity of the public and our volunteers need your continued support.
To make a donation to the RNLI please visit RNLI.org/support-us/give-money/donate
Notes to editors
· Portpatrick RNLI lifeboat station has been operating since 1877. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/portpatrick-lifeboat-station
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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 142,700 lives.
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