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Ringing the Bell for Wick’s New Shannon
On Tuesday 21 July, colleagues from across the organisation came together at the All-weather Lifeboat Centre in Poole to celebrate the completion of the Shannon class lifeboat ON 1368 – RNLB Snooks Sanctuary – our newest all-weather lifeboat, destined for Wick Lifeboat Station in Scotland.
Funded by a donor who wished to remain anonymous, RNLB Snooks Sanctuary carries the operational number 13-61 and is named after a family dog, Snooks. We are not sure whether this is our first lifeboat to be named after a dog, but we think it’s a lovely tribute.
Since 2023, the same donor has supported several RNLI crews, including Broughty Ferry, Anstruther and Kinghorn. Wick now joins this RNLI family.
Wick was represented at the ceremony by Murray Lamont, Chair of Wick’s Lifeboat Management Group, Andrew McPhee, Wick RNLI Mechanic, and crew member Nigel Hyde. Murray was invited to say a few words on behalf of the station, helping everyone understand what the new lifeboat will mean for Wick’s lifesavers and the community they serve.
As is tradition, the ceremony reached its peak when the bell was rung to mark the completion of the vessel. This time, the honour of ringing the bell went to Tara Hancock, Portfolio Coordinator, and Mark Hancock, Senior Project Manager, who were recognised for their work to improve control and reduce workload for regional business support and payroll teams involved in crew compensation payments.
Tara and Mark have combined their analytical and project management skills to design and build an app that is being piloted in Scotland, with rollout to other regions planned for August. Their nomination acknowledged the way the father-and-daughter team joined forces to address a longstanding issue for the RNLI, going above and beyond to develop a practical solution for the organisation.
The event highlighted the role of our Engineering and Supply teams in designing, building, maintaining and supplying the boats, stations and equipment that lifesavers rely on day in, day out. Designed entirely in-house by RNLI engineers, the Shannon class continues to represent a highly capable, agile and modern all-weather lifeboat. For Wick, RNLB Snooks Sanctuary will provide a new asset ready to support future rescues and help keep volunteer crews safe in demanding conditions.
With the bell now rung and the ceremony complete, RNLB Snooks Sanctuary is ready for the next stage of her journey. Soon, she will head north to join Wick’s dedicated volunteer crew, carrying with her the skill of the teams who built her, the generosity that funded her, and the shared purpose of everyone committed to saving lives at sea.