Wells RNLI welcomes visiting bishops from Papua New Guinea and Norwich
Wells RNLI were delighted to welcome Bishop Reginald Makele, visiting from Papua New Guinea, along with the Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Revd Graham Usher, to the lifeboat station this week.
During their visit, the bishops were given a tour of the station and Wells’ Shannon-class lifeboat, the Duke of Edinburgh. They spent time with the volunteer crew, learned about the station’s lifesaving operations, and explored the advanced capabilities of the all-weather lifeboat.
Chris Hardy, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Wells RNLI, said: ‘They very much enjoyed meeting the team down at the boathouse, and Bishop Reginald, Bishop Graham and I were able to swap many stories and share a laugh about living in Papua New Guinea, where I was based for nine years in my earlier life.’
Bishop Reginald Makele expressed his gratitude for the station’s warm hospitality and the work carried out by RNLI volunteers, saying: ‘I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the opportunity to visit the lifeboat station. It was really interesting to see the high-tech boat whose purpose is to serve people on the sea. It was lovely to meet you all, and it was a great surprise to meet Mr Chris Hardy, who is like part of the family of Melanesia. You are all fantastic people giving your lives to help the public. May your time and effort be blessed by the Almighty.’
The visit ended with a chance for both bishops to reflect on the lifesaving commitment of the RNLI volunteers who serve the Norfolk coastline.
RNLI Media contacts Jess Curtis, RNLI Regional Communications Manager South East, Lifeboat Press Officer at Wells: Tel 07483488243 Email: [email protected] contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789
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