Naming ceremony a success for Whitby RNLI

The weather was wild and windy for the ceremony, but the lifeboat crew are no stranger to a bit of bad weather.

The crew along with their families, and invited guests gathered at the bandstand in Whitby, There were several speeches, and prayer's from the station chaplain, Reverend Michael Gobbett.

It was a particularly poignant ceremony as the lifeboat carries the names of 10,000 loved ones on the decals, and Laura Summerbell, Legacy engagement manager for the RNLI, had the honour of officially handing the lifeboat over to the Whitby crew, on behalf of all the families that generously donated to the charity to name a loved one on board.

The Lifeboat was officially named by Neil Williamson, who is Launch Authority at Whitby, a former crew member and also the curator of the RNLI Lifeboat museum.

The Lifeboat is named Lois Ivan, after Mr George Ivan Stone, and his partner Lois, who left a legacy in their will which funded the lifeboat. It is thanks to the donations made by supporters of the charity that the volunteers are able to continue to save lives at sea, in the most up to date equipment.

Station Chairman Mike Major said: 'Thank you to everyone who came along to celebrate with us, with a smile on their faces despite the cold weather. The wonderful singing from Marske fisherman's choir made the day really special and we'd like to thank everyone else involved in the ceremony too.'

'This is just the start of Lois-Ivans time in Whitby, and we feel reassured when the pager sounds, that the crew have the best equipment possible, to keep them safe, whatever scenario they should face.'

Five RNLI volunteers were aboard the Shannon Class lifeboat during the ceremony, and popped a bottle of champagne to celebrate as the ceremony drew to a close, they also did a short demonstration showing the incredible manoeuvring capability of the Shannon.

For more information contact Lifeboat Press Officer Ceri Oakes on 07813359428 or at [email protected]

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity 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 142,700 lives.

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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.