All light on the night for special Dunbar RNLI family event

Members of the crew, launch authorities, fundraisers and shop workers, who all give up their time to help the Royal National Lifeboat Institution save lives at sea, came together to acknowledge the achievements of their fellow volunteers.

Highlight of the evening was the lighting of a ceremonial brazier, specially made for the lifeboat station by Callum Duguid of ICI Steel Fabricators in Dunbar.

Lifeboat Operations Manager Ian Wilson said: ‘We often talk about our “lifeboat family” and on Saturday we had a fantastic family gathering. Boat crews, shore crews, station management, shop volunteers, and fundraisers – bringing members of their own families – enjoyed an evening with refreshments provided. We presented long service awards, certificates to our recently trained casualty carers, and we enjoyed music and film on a big screen.

‘The evening was topped off with the ceremonial lighting of the brazier, which looked amazing in the sunset with the RNLI flag flying. Sincere thanks to Callum and ICI Steel Fabricators for their generosity and expert craftmanship and to Jo Doherty of Relics Coffee who provided refreshments.

‘It takes a big family to run a lifeboat station and we’re incredibly well supported here in Dunbar.’

Callum, who has enjoyed a long connection with the lifeboat station and the fishing community, attended the event with his wife Moira. He said: ‘When it’s for the lifeboat I don’t mind doing it. When I was thinking of a design, I remembered a photograph I’d taken of one while on holiday in Morocco and thought it stood out.’

Notes to editors

· Established in 1808, 16 years before the formation of the RNLI, Dunbar Lifeboat Station is one of the oldest in Scotland and is located on the south side of the mouth of the Firth of Forth.

· Since its formation, its volunteer crews have been honoured with 12 awards for gallantry.

· It operates two lifeboats – the Trent class all-weather lifeboat (ALB) John Neville Taylor, moored at Torness Power Station, and the D-class inshore lifeboat (ILB) David Lauder, which launches from Dunbar Harbour.

RNLI media contacts

Douglas Wight, Dunbar RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, [email protected]

Natasha Rushby, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]

Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office (available 24 hours) 01202 336789 [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 146,000 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.