RNLI supporter travels 500 miles to see lifeboat carrying family’s name
A lifelong RNLI supporter travelled 500 miles in a single day to visit a lifeboat carrying his family’s name after spotting it by chance on social media.
Karl Williams, 52, from Stockport in Greater Manchester, travelled around 250 miles from the north west to Queenborough on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent on April 26 to see the relief all-weather lifeboat Eric’s Legend during an RNLI Sheerness open day at All Tide Landing.
The journey to the southeast took around five hours each way, with Karl and his partner, Helena Watson, completing the round trip in a single day.
Eric’s Legend was temporarily based at Sheerness RNLI while the station’s usual all-weather lifeboat, Judith Copping Joyce, underwent maintenance work in Poole, Dorset.
The Shannon-class vessel is one of the RNLI’s legacy boats - lifeboats named in recognition of supporters who have left gifts in wills or funded commemorative naming in memory of loved ones.
For Karl’s family, the boat’s name holds a particularly personal meaning.
Karl’s mother, Kathryn Holton, arranged for the names of three of the most important men in her life to be linked to the boat - Karl's grandfather, known as Eric Hester, her husband, Donald Holton, and her son.
Eric sadly passed away in the 1980s, and Karl said the family always felt the name Eric’s Legend perfectly reflected the man they remembered.
Karl said: “My grandad was often referred to as a wonderful man, maybe a legend, so it just seemed perfect.”
That emotional connection was what convinced the couple that the lengthy drive would be worthwhile.
He said: “It was an opportunity not to be missed.
“When my mum first applied to have our names on the boat, we didn’t realise at first it was a relief boat, so it’s really hard to see the vessel because it can end up anywhere in the country.
“Thankfully, Sheerness RNLI advertised the open day on Facebook, and I happened to see it.”
Karl’s connection with the RNLI stretches back generations and began during childhood holidays to Wells-next-the-Sea, a coastal town on the north Norfolk coast famous for its harbour and lifeboat station.
He said: “My granny and granddad were supporters, which passed to my mum, which then passed to me.
“When we used to holiday in Wells, one of the local mechanics used to show me around the lifeboats. I’d come home with posters, and my bedroom wall was covered in them.
“It just stayed with me.”
The dad-of-two, who works in the motor industry, said he and Helena left home early in the morning before heading straight back later that evening to get home to their children and dog.
Despite the long day, Karl said the visit left a lasting impression.
He said: “The sun was shining and everyone was fantastic.
“We had so much to talk about on the way home that the journey didn’t even feel long.”
During the open day, the couple met crew members and were able to get up close to Eric’s Legend while learning more about the RNLI and the relief lifeboat programme.
Karl said: “They’re selfless, they’re volunteers, and no matter what the weather or who is in trouble, they will come and help without judgement.
“You can rely on the guys with the orange boat to come out and look after you.”
Karl’s two sons, aged 16 and 14, are also RNLI supporters and signed up as Storm Force members.
He added: “All the training they go through that people don’t see is just amazing.
“It means families like mine can go to the coast knowing there are people ready to help if somebody gets into trouble.”
The volunteer crew at Sheerness RNLI said it was a privilege to welcome Karl and Helena to the station and thanked supporters across the country whose donations help keep lifeboats launching.
It is the support from fundraisers, donors, legacy supporters and visitors that plays a vital role in helping the RNLI continue saving lives at sea, funding everything from crew training and lifesaving equipment to the maintenance of the charity’s fleet of lifeboats.
RNLI Media Contacts
For further information, please contact:
Megan Carr, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI Sheerness, [email protected]
Jess Curtis, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for London and South East England, 07483 488243, [email protected]
Julie Rainey, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for London and South East England, 07827 358256, [email protected]
RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]
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.