Looe RNLI receives a generous donation from local boatyard C Toms and Sons

C Toms and Sons, a boatyard on the eastern banks of the river Fowey at Polruan has a long standing association with the RNLI. Periodically local RNLI All Weather Lifeboats can be seen visiting the yard to be lifted out for their hull to be cleaned or repairs.

Rachel and Paul Toms from the boatyard explained “As a business working in the marine industry it is important for us to support our local RNLI stations with the valuable lifesaving service they provide to all seafarers. As such we are thrilled to be able to assist Looe RNLI with the purchase of new equipment for their lifeboats.

Receiving the donation from Rachel and Paul Toms, Clive Palfrey, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Looe RNLI said ‘We would like to thank everyone at C Toms and Sons boatyard for this wonderful donation. This valuable support enables us to continue our key role of saving lives at sea off the South East Cornwall coastline. This timely donation will be put to good use as the plastic stretchers on each of our inshore lifeboats have reached the end of their operational life and are being replaced at a significant cost.

Coincidently, Rachel, Paul and Evie Toms were outside Looe Lifeboat Station last Sunday morning, 27 July 2025, when the Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat Sheila and Dennis Tongue II returned to station after a shout. This was an opportune moment for our crew to personally thank them for this generous donation and to show them around the Atlantic 85 which has new plastic stretchers ready for use.

END

Notes to editors

Photos:

· Rachel, Evie and Paul Toms with Looe RNLI volunteer crew members Victoria, David, Clive and Amber
Photo credits Looe RNLI / Ian Foster

· Looe RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, Clive Palfrey showing Rachel, Evie and Paul the new plastic stretcher
Photo credits Looe RNLI / Ian Foster

· Looe RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, Clive Palfrey explaining the Atlantic 85 navigation screens to Rachel and Evie
Photo credits Looe RNLI / Ian Foster

Information

· Re-established as an inshore lifeboat station in 1992, Looe RNLI operate two inshore lifeboats
An Atlantic 85 Sheila and Dennis Tongue II and a D Class Ollie Naismith

· For further information on Looe RNLI Lifeboats please visit our website www.looelifeboats.co.uk

· Looe RNLI Facebook page www.facebook.com/LooeRNLI

RNLI media contacts

For more information please telephone

Ian Foster, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for Looe Lifeboat Station, on 07902 753228 or [email protected] or [email protected]

or Emma Haines, RNLI Regional Communications Manager, on 07866 668847 or [email protected]

or Amy Caldwell, RNLI Regional Communications Lead, on 07920 818807 or [email protected]

Alternatively you can contact the RNLI Duty Press Officer 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.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

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.