A NEW inshore Atlantic 85 class lifeboat for Carrybridge RNLI will be officially named during a ceremony this weekend.
The lifeboat which went on service last November was funded by The John and Elizabeth Allan Memorial Trust.
Professor James Allan set up The John and Elizabeth Allan Memorial Trust, in memory of his parents, in 1998.
The trust has been able to fully fund two Shannon class lifeboats, two Atlantic 85 lifeboats and continues to support the RNLI.
The inshore lifeboat which is now located at Carrybridge and has launched nine times since going on service, will be officially named Douglas, Euan and Kay Richards, after the children of Professor Allan’s doctor, Barbara Stewart.
This Saturday, Dr Barbara Stewart will represent the donor and hand the lifeboat into the care of the RNLI. Along with her daughter Kay, Barbara will then officially name the lifeboat during the ceremony at 3pm.
The Atlantic 85 class lifeboat replaces the Atlantic 75 class lifeboat Duckhams 2001, which was stationed at Carrybridge RNLI for two and a half years. During that time, the lifeboat launched 64 times and brought 113 people to safety.
Tom Bailey, Carrybridge RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager said: “This is a very special occasion for our lifeboat station and we are most grateful to The John and Elizabeth Allan Memorial Trust for the generous gift that is our new lifeboat, Douglas, Euan and Kay Richards.
“We are especially looking forward to welcoming the family to our lifeboat station and to showing them our new lifeboat that is named after them and which will be used in the years to come to help our volunteers to continue to save lives on Upper Lough Erne.”
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