Wells lifeboat marks the next chapter of lifesaving

A special plaque has been unveiled at Wells Lifeboat Station to mark the completion of The Lifeboat Fund reaching its £1.1M appeal target.

The plaque honours a generous legacy donation from retired civil servant Miss Louene Smith, which completed the 150th anniversary appeal to fund a new Shannon class lifeboat at Wells, and provided a further £100,000 towards the cost of building the new boathouse.

The Lifeboat Fund's support, along with money generated from a public appeal (including a local appeal which raised over £250,000), will enable crew and volunteers at Wells Lifeboat Station to begin a new chapter of lifesaving on the north Norfolk Coast. 

RNLI volunteers, trustees and guests attended the event, including Sir Mark Sedwill, Chair of the Lifeboat Fund, Sarah, Countess of Leicester, Cllr Michael Gates, Mayor of Wells-next-the-Sea and John Bines, RNLI Deputy Fundraising Director.

Sir Mark Sedwill said: "Miss Louene Smith's generosity in donating a £445,000 legacy, along with the valiant fundraisers of The Lifeboat Fund, have allowed is to complete the £1.1million of fundraising for the 53rd lifeboat we have funded for the RNLI - and provide a further £100,000 funding for the new boathouse that will be the home of the new Shannon Class lifeboat."

Chris Hardy, Wells RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager, said: "On behalf of the volunteer crew and everyone associated with the RNLI Lifeboat Station in Wells, we are deeply indebted to The Lifeboat Fund for its incredible fundraising efforts towards the cost of our new Shannon lifeboat and what a marvellous way this is for the Fund to mark its 150th anniversary of raising money for the RNLI.  

"We also acknowledge with thanks the generous legacy donation made by Miss Louene Smith, which closed The Lifeboat Fund appeal earlier this year. The money will be used to fund the early shore works associated with our new boathouse build, which will commence later this year."