Another new lifeboat for New Brighton RNLI!
New Brighton RNLI took delivery of a relief B-class lifeboat this week, as their own boat heads in for repair works.
On Monday 1 December 2025, New Brighton’s volunteer lifeboat crew saw their Atlantic-85 inshore lifeboat take to the sky instead of the water. The lifeboat, Charles Dibdin, or B-837, which has been at New Brighton since 2009, sustained some damage recently on a shout, and is being returned for essential repairs and maintenance.
In the meantime, New Brighton RNLI have relief craft, Sam & Freda Parkinson, or B-941, to ensure that they can remain on service and continue saving lives at sea.
The swap of the lifeboats was completed on Monday afternoon, with the relief craft arriving by road to New Brighton RNLI. From there, with the help of volunteer crew from New Brighton, the boat was lifted by crane onto the road, the essential equipment transferred between the boats, and then the damaged boat craned onto the road transport.
Lee Arnall, Lifeboat Operations Manager at New Brighton RNLI, said:
‘Our Atlantic-85 lifeboat, Charles Dibdin, has been a faithful servant to New Brighton RNLI for many years, and has been put through its paces on many, many challenging rescues. It is a credit to the RNLI’s commitment to saving lives at sea 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, that we were able to be restored to service with a relief craft so quickly.’
Notes to Editors:
New Brighton RNLI was established in 1863 in the bustling seaside resort of New Brighton, on the northeast corner of the Wirral peninsula. They cover the River Mersey and out into the Irish Sea.
The station is home to a B-class Atlantic 85 lifeboat, one of the fastest in the RNLI fleet. The crews at New Brighton have been presented with a remarkable 48 awards for gallantry to date.
RNLI Media Contacts:
For more information, please contact:
Connor Wray
Lifeboat Press Officer/ILB Crew
New Brighton RNLI
07756553092
Emily Craven
Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer/ILB Crew
New Brighton RNLI
07986119684
Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith
Regional Communications Manager
07977728315
Danielle Rush
Regional Communications Lead
+441745538995
Or RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, TikTok 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.