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Bell ringing ceremony takes place for New Quay RNLI’s new lifeboat

Lifeboats News Release

New Quay RNLI crew and supporters gathered yesterday Tuesday 10 January at 11am for the traditional eight bells ceremony for New Quay RNLI’s new Shannon class all-weather lifeboat at the RNLI headquarters in Poole, Dorset.

RNLI/Phil Griffiths

New Quay RNLI crew with their new Shannon class lifeboat for the first time

The traditional method of ringing the eight bells comes from maritime history signalling the end of the watch on ship and the start of a new watch. The RNLI conduct this ceremony when a new lifeboat replaces another lifeboat in the service.

RNLI Chief Executive Officer Mark Dowie opened the proceedings and two RNLI members of staff from the All-Weather Lifeboat Centre rang the bell eight times. The new lifeboat was then lowered into the water for the first time.

During the next few months the Roy Barker V Shannon class lifeboat will undergo sea trials before arriving in New Quay in the summer. Roger Couch, New Quay RNLI’s Lifeboat Operations Manager said, “This is a momentous occasion in the history of New Quay Lifeboat Station. The new Shannon class lifeboat will replace the existing Mersey class lifeboat that has served New Quay and Cardigan Bay for nearly 30 years.

“We will receive the new lifeboat this summer and the volunteer crew have been training hard and preparing for the lifeboat’s arrival. We now have a few months of intensive training both at Poole and at home to ready ourselves for the boat's arrival.”

Daniel Potter, New Quay RNLI’s Coxswain added, “It was wonderful to see our new lifeboat being lowered into the water for the first time. Our Mersey class lifeboat, the Frank and Lena Clifford of Stourbridge, has served us and the whole county very well in the last 30 years so it will be sad to see her go later this year. However, looking to the future the new Shannon class lifeboat will bring new technology, increased speed and more manoeuvrability to help us save lives at sea. We are very much looking forward to welcoming her to the station this year.”


RNLI media contacts

For more information, please contact Kate Williams on 07786 550054 or [email protected].


RNLI/Pete Yates

The bell ringing ceremony with RNLI Chief Executive Mark Dowie and two members of staff from the All-Weather Lifeboat Centre

RNLI/Pete Yates

New Quay RNLI's new Shannon class lifeboat being lowered into the water for the first time

RNLI/Pete Yates

New Quay RNLI's new lifeboat in the water

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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For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.

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