Montrose RNLI volunteers celebrate lifeboat naming ceremony

The lifeboat Margaret Olive arrived at Montrose RNLI Lifeboat Station on 8 January and has already launched to eight callouts, but this weekend saw the lifeboat officially named in Montrose.

Representatives from the RNLI and the local community gathered at Montrose RNLI Lifeboat Station on Saturday 24 May to celebrate the new inshore lifeboat Margaret Olive.

A service of dedication for the lifeboat was followed by the naming ceremony, which was opened by Mike Neil, Chair of the Lifeboat Management Group at Montrose, and saw Ken Brown officially hand Margaret Olive into the care of the team at Montrose RNLI Lifeboat Station.

The lifeboat Margaret Olive is named in memory of Ken Brown’s late wife, Margaret. Margaret ran a dental practice for 28 years in North East Scotland. She loved sailing, outdoor adventures and travelling.

Margaret was a supporter of the RNLI throughout her life, and she was always grateful when at sea that the RNLI were available if required.

The new inshore lifeboat, Margaret Olive, will help the volunteer crew at Montrose RNLI to save more lives at sea, with the ability to operate closer to the shore and in confined locations, such as close to cliffs and among rocks. She is also highly manoeuvrable.

Scott Murray, Coxswain/Mechanic, says: ‘Today is a special day for all of us here in Montrose as we celebrate our brand new inshore lifeboat, Margaret Olive. This new lifeboat will allow us to continue to save lives at sea, and has already been launched to eight call outs since she arrived in early January.’

Scott continues: ‘The RNLI is funded entirely by generous donations from the public, and we couldn’t continue our work without generous donations like this one. We’re grateful to Ken Brown for his generous donation to fund Montrose’s D class lifeboat, Margaret Olive, in memory of his late wife Margaret, who loved the sea and supported the RNLI throughout her life. We’re honoured to have Margaret Olive here with us in Montrose to help us save lives at sea.’

The D class inshore lifeboat has been the workhorse of the RNLI for over 50 years. She is highly manoeuvrable and usually operates closer to shore than our all-weather lifeboats. She comes into her own for searches and rescues in the surf, shallow water and confined locations – often close to cliffs, among rocks and even inside caves.

Notes to editors

· Montrose lifeboat station has been operating since 1800. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: Montrose Lifeboat Station - RNLI Lifeboat Stations

RNLI media contacts

Mari McCrossan, Lifeboat Press Officer, [email protected]

Sally McKay, 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, 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

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