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Crowds welcome New Quay RNLI’s new Shannon class lifeboat home

Lifeboats News Release

Yesterday was a historic occasion for New Quay RNLI as the station’s £2.5m Shannon class lifeboat Roy Barker V arrived home. The state-of-the-art lifeboat received quite a welcome, with a party on the quayside and a flotilla of local boats, including Fishguard, Aberystwyth and Cardigan lifeboats.

Five members of the volunteer crew travelled to Poole in Dorset to collect the Shannon and began the long passage home on Wednesday 21 July. They arrived in New Quay at 1.48pm - the hull number of our new lifeboat (13-48).

Roger Couch, RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager at New Quay says:

‘Seeing our new Shannon class lifeboat sailing into sight is something that will stay with me for a very long time. This really does signify the beginning of a new era of lifesaving at New Quay RNLI. The amount of people who had turned out to welcome her home really does speak volumes for the support we have in this community for which we are incredibly grateful.

‘It’s been a long passage for the crew on their route back to New Quay but I know they’ll have taken this time to get acquainted with this faster and more capable 25 knot lifeboat. It’s going to be a long and difficult few weeks ensuring all our volunteers are fully trained on our new lifeboat, but it’s a challenge, I know we’ll all relish.’

The community celebrated the historic occasion with a party on the pier, the highlight of which was the new lifeboat entering view. It was an emotional sight for fundraisers who have worked tirelessly to support efforts to raise an appeal to raise over £100,000 to pay for crew training and transportation cost for the Shannon.

After delighting crowds with her presence, the Shannon was recovered onto New Quay beach, watched by crowds of onlookers. Then the Shannon Launch and Recovery System (SLRS) was put into action to safety recover the new lifeboat and introduce her to her new home.

New Quay’s RNLI Coxswain had the important role of bringing the Shannon home. It was a historic moment for Dan Potter, who has been an operational volunteer on three different classes of lifeboat – the Watson class lifeboat – the Mersey and now the Shannon.

He says:

‘Bringing this lifeboat home to New Quay is one of the greatest honour of my RNLI career. It was a humbling and incredibly emotional experience which will stay with me for a very long time. The passage was challenging and we all learned so much, but the pinnacle just had to be seeing the crowds who had turned out to welcome us home.

Whilst the Mersey class lifeboat has served us well, this modern faster and more capable will help us to save more lives of the coast of Ceredigion. We are incredibly grateful for all the support we’ve received in making today happen.’

RNLI media contacts

For more information, please contact Danielle Rush, RNLI Media Relations Manager in Wales, the North West and Isle of Man on 07886 668829. Alternatively, please call the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336 789 or email [email protected].

Phil Griffiths

The state-of-the-art lifeboat received quite a welcome, with a party on the quayside and a flotilla of local boats, including Fishguard, Aberystwyth and Cardigan lifeboats.

Phil Griffiths

The state-of-the-art lifeboat received quite a welcome, with a party on the quayside and a flotilla of local boats, including Fishguard, Aberystwyth and Cardigan lifeboats.

RNLI/Faye Maher

Welcome home to New Quay's new Shannon class lifeboat

RNLI/Faye Maher

Welcome home to New Quay's new Shannon class lifeboat

RNLI/Faye Maher

Welcome home to New Quay's new Shannon class lifeboat

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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