RNLI reveals brand new plan for Margate lifeboat station
The RNLI has today revealed plans for a new modern lifeboat station to replace the existing one at Margate which after nearly 50 years has reached the end of its design life.
The new station will provide modern crew training and changing facilities, aspects that have evolved enormously since the existing station was built including also sharing the space as home to the seasonal RNLI lifeguards who provide cover on Margate’s main sands.
The new station will also include a new retail area for shop volunteers, and a meeting space which can be used by local community groups.
The new station will be built on the footprint of the existing one, although it will be slightly larger, next to the Turner Contemporary in Margate. The existing station was built in 1978 following the collapse of Margate Pier.
The build is due to start in September this year with the existing station being demolished and the volunteer crew operating out of two nearby temporary facilities to ensure their lifesaving service remains operational, the crew will continue to run their D class (Alfred Alexander Staden) and B class (Colonel Stock) inshore lifeboats without interruption.
The building is designed with sustainability at its forefront and will not need any significant maintenance for the first 30 years, the design including solar panels and a ground source heat pump to minimise the carbon footprint and running costs.
The public are invited to come along to the lifeboat station and inspect the plans for the new boathouse, see the lifeboats and meet the crew between 10am and 12 noon on Saturday 21 June and between 9.30am (when, operational circumstances permitting the lifeboat will be launching on exercise) and 11.30am on Sunday 22 June.
Media are invited to the station between 10am and 12 noon on Thursday 19 June. The regional RNLI media team will be on hand to show the plans and provide interview opportunities with staff and volunteers. There will also be the opportunity to view Margate’s two RNLI lifeboats.
The announcement coincides with the launch of the RNLI’s Capital Appeal to help reach the £3.5M target to fund the new station. The appeal will provide the unique opportunity for the community to make a contribution to the charity’s ambition to provide the best facilities for the local volunteers in their mission of saving lives at sea and donations can be made at www.rnli.org/MargateAppeal
Derek Amas, Margate RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager: “We are looking forward to the new station which will provide a modern, safe and warm environment for our lifesaving volunteer crew along with new facilities for our volunteers in the shop, fundraisers, lifeguards and water safety teams.
“The new station will provide us with the capability to continue saving lives on Thanet’s beaches and off the north Kent coast well into the future. The RNLI and all those involved with Margate RNLI are committed to providing the best lifesaving service possible to all those who live in, and visit, Margate and all those who enjoy our beautiful Kent coast.”
Notes to editors
· Margate lifeboat station has been operating since 1860. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/margate-lifeboat-station
RNLI media contacts
For more information please contact:
· Peter Barker, RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07974 064304 or [email protected]
· Hatti Mellor, Regional Communications Manager on 07724 801305 or [email protected]
· 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.