Seahouses RNLI’s Shannon class lifeboat naming ceremony

Following the ceremony in the boathouse, which is a ticket only event, the lifeboat will launch at 12pm. Everyone will be welcome to come along to this launch and raise a cheer as she enters the water.

The Shannon class lifeboat will be named 13-36 John and Elizabeth Allan at the ceremony. She has been principally funded by The John & Elizabeth Allan Memorial Trust. The late Professor James Allan set up the trust in memory of his parents, in 1998.

His interest in the RNLI began as a child when his family started having holidays in Fraserburgh. He visited the harbour, saw the lifeboat, and met the lifeboat crew. His passion for the charity grew from there and he decided that if he were successful in life, he would do his utmost to provide funding to the RNLI. He has been able to achieve this wish and the Trust has also funded several other RNLI lifeboats and projects.

The funding for the new Shannon lifeboat was further supported by a legacy from Mrs May Little. She spent a lot of her early life at her grandparents’ home in Seahouses and later had caravans on local sites and was a member of Seahouses Golf Club. Her connection with Seahouses continues through her contribution towards the funding of the lifeboat.

The Shannon’s Launch and Recovery system will also be named during Saturday’s ceremony. It was principally funded by the late David Cooper and is named after him. David’s favourite pastime was stocks and shares through which he amassed the sums left to the RNLI. He was a sea cadet as a boy and this is thought to have inspired his passion for the sea and his support for the RNLI.

The Launch and Recovery vehicle was also funded by the generous bequests of Mrs Pamela Hart, Mr Joseph Holmes and Mr Philip Jeffery Stubbs.

Julie Harris, Seahouses RNLI’s volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager, said: ‘Our volunteer crew has enthusiastically embraced the new Shannon class lifeboat and Launch and Recovery System. It gives them real peace of mind knowing that her advanced technology enables them to reach people a lot more quickly and further offshore.

‘The naming ceremony will be a very special day in our station’s history and will officially mark the next chapter of lifesaving in the town.’

Julie added: ‘Saturday will provide the perfect opportunity to celebrate and offer “thanks” for the generous legacies that funded our new lifeboat and her launch system.

‘These people will be in our thoughts because without such generosity the new lifeboat wouldn’t have become a reality. Such support is the lifeblood of our charity and ensures that we’re able to continue our vital role of saving lives at sea today and for future generations.’

The original naming Ceremony was scheduled for Saturday 10 September 2022, but was cancelled following the death of the RNLI’s Patron for 70yrs, the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Notes to editors

The Shannon is the RNLI’s next generation all-weather lifeboat and is the most agile in the RNLI fleet. It is the first modern RNLI all-weather lifeboat to be propelled by water jets and not propellers. Capable of 25 knots, the Shannon is 50% faster than the lifeboats it replaces, ensuring that those in need are reached more quickly than before.

The RNLI has an All-weather Lifeboat Centre (ALC) at its headquarters in Poole, Dorset. The facility brings every stage of the lifeboat building process under one roof. Seahouses RNLI’s new Shannon was built here.

RNLI Media contacts

For more information please contact Ian Clayton, RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer: [email protected]