Fowey RNLI to bid farewell to Trent lifeboat after 30 years

A spectacular flotilla of lifeboats, harbour boats, working and trip boats, ex-lifeboats, safety boats, gigs and private vessels will accompany her from her pontoon and out of the harbour, where they will give her a rousing send off as she sets off on passage to the RNLI in Poole.

On Friday 1 August, the lifeboat will be open to the public on the lifeboat pontoon from 11am – 1pm for free tours. This will be the final chance to look around the lifeboat before she leaves Fowey.

Former coxswains and people who have historically been involved with the station will then join the existing crew on the lifeboat for a farewell ceremony. At 2.15pm, the coxswain, Jonathan Pritchard, will make a short speech which will be relayed to the watching crowd via speakers. He will then take the helm for the final time to lead the flotilla of boats out of the harbour, flanked by Fowey’s inshore D class lifeboat and their relief Atlantic 85 lifeboat.

Fowey coxswain, Jonathan Pritchard said: ‘As an RNLI crew member and coxswain of almost 40 years, I was part of the crew who welcomed the Trent to Fowey in 1996 and have served on her for nearly 30 years. It will be very sad to see her go and it is sure to be an emotional day as the station and the people of Fowey say goodbye to a much loved and iconic part of the Fowey community. Whilst we will all be very sorry to see her go, I’m looking forward to leading Fowey into its next chapter with her replacement Atlantic 85 lifeboat. As a crew and a station we are positive about the change and I would like to thank those that continue to support us as we will continue to support our community.”

The new Trent class all-weather lifeboat, Maurice and Joyce Hardy, arrived in Fowey on 25 September 1996. An official naming and dedication ceremony for the new lifeboat took place on 4 October 1997, when the Trent and Fowey’s new inshore boat were christened and the new shore facility with an RNLI shop, officially opened. During her time on service in Fowey she has launched on 314 shouts, aided 462 people, spent 591 hours at sea on service and saved 22 lives.

As part of the farewell, Fowey RNLI’s volunteer visits team are offering members of the public a last opportunity to have a free guided farewell tour of the Trent class all-weather lifeboat before she departs the station. The farewell tours, operational requirements permitting, will be available from Monday 21 July until she goes off-service on Sunday July 27.

On Saturday 2 August, Fowey will celebrate lifeboat day, with music, refreshments and activities at the lifeboat station. The new relief Atlantic lifeboat will be on display in the harbour and on the pontoon for the public to view.

Notes to editors

The Trent will be open every day from 21 July until she goes off-service on 27 July for free guided lifeboat tours.

.Goodbye Trent Lifeboat - Friday 1 August

The Trent farewell ceremony will be at Berrills Yard and the lifeboat pontoon.

11am – 1pm final lifeboat tours.

2.15pm Goodbye ceremony and speech by coxswain Jonathan Pritchard.

2.30pm Trent leaves lifeboat pontoon with sail past flotilla. Fowey Harbour Commissioners will run the sail past starting at 2.30pm to commemorate her farewell. A flotilla of lifeboats, harbour boats, working and trip boats, ex-lifeboats, safety boats, gigs and private vessels will accompany her from her pontoon and out of the harbour as far as the D sailing race mark. We invite anyone with a boat to come along and join the leaving procession. There will be live music and refreshments during the day
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There are several good vantage points for photos along the route of the flotilla procession out of the harbour.

• Albert Quay

• Fowey Town Quay

• Esplanade

• Readymoney beach

• St Catherine’s castle

• Alldays fields
  

We are happy to organise interview opportunities with the Coxswain, Fowey Lifeboat Operations Manager and some current crew on the morning of Friday 1 August. Please contact Cathy or Emma on the details below.

• Fowey lifeboat station was established in 1859 and has been operating for 166 years. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to:
  https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/fowey-lifeboat-station

• A photo of Fowey’s lifeboat can be viewed at: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/fowey-lifeboat-station

RNLI media contacts
For more information please telephone Cathy Baillie, RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07787 709986 or [email protected] or Emma Haines, Regional Press Officer [email protected] and 07786 668847 or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 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.