A team of Ross-shire rescuers will be the first in Scotland to crew a new lifeboat that will also be a unique memorial to lost loved ones.
Invergordon’s new vessel will bear the names of thousands of people being commemorated by friends and family in the RNLI’s unique memorial.
The name of each person being remembered will “fill” the letters of the new boat’s operational number on the hull.
The Shannon class boat – which has not yet been named – is due to come into service from spring 2020.
Area lifesaving manager Stuart Gudgeon is delighted the volunteer crew at Invergordon will have the opportunity to launch with people’s memories by their side.
He said: “We are all thrilled Invergordon is going to receive an all-weather Shannon class lifeboat. It has a 25-knot capability and jet propellers, which will give our volunteers more manoeuvrability in the water, allowing us to get to hard to reach places and to get to those in need more quickly.
“We feel honoured to have been chosen to receive this Shannon with the very special decal on it, especially as it is the first lifeboat in the RNLI’s history to have the decal filled with the remembered loved ones of our supporters, who, by signing up and donating to Launch a Memory, help us save other people’s loved ones.”
RNLI Invergordon lifeboat crew rescued 13 people last year when they launched their current Trent class boat, the Douglas Aikman Smith, 20 times. Since the Trent went on service in 1996, the crew has launched her 327 times and rescued 194 people, saving eight people’s lives.
The lifeboat is operated by 20 volunteer crew members and has an additional eight operational volunteers, who work in a variety of roles, including port quality health safety and environmental manager, distillery process manager and a self-employed joiner.
People can sign up to Launch a Memory by visiting rnli.org/bytheirside. There is a suggested donation of £30. Every donation supports the RNLI charity in its lifesaving work around the UK and Ireland.
Of the people who work for the RNLI, 95% are volunteers. There are more than 5,500 lifeboat crew, more than 3,500 volunteer shore crew and 178 lifeguards. More than 23,000 volunteer community fundraisers keep the charity afloat.
