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Wells RNLI transfers to new lifeboat station

Tue 15 Nov 2022

Wells RNLI officially moved into the new boathouse on 13 November with a flag ceremony to mark the transfer of operations as well as the opening of the RNLI shop and visitor information centre in the new building. 

Volunteer crew, past and present, and the wider lifeboat family watched as the RNLI flag was lowered at the old lifeboat station at 12:03 and then raised at the new lifeboat station 13.46 minutes later. 

The timing related to the numbers on the station's lifeboats; 12-003 is the number on Doris M Mann. the station's existing Mersey class lifeboat, and 13-46 is the number on Duke of Edinburgh, the station's new Shannon Class lifeboat which will become operational later this year.

Respected former members of the crew, aided by senior current members and the Earl of Leicester, lowered and raised the flag with pride, knowing that although it was the end of an era for the old lifeboat station, it was the beginning of a new and exciting time ahead for the new.

Chris Hardy, Lifeboat Operations Manager, said "All of our Lifeboat crew were thrilled to finally transfer to our new purpose-built boathouse, which has been designed specifically to to accommodate and maintain our new Shannon and D-class inshore lifeboat. The new boathouse also provides vastly improved crew changing facilities, a large and well-equipped crew room, which will double up as an excellent crew training facility."

The Mersey class lifeboat left the old boathouse for the last time to be photographed with crew and families alongside the Shannon and inshore boats. It remains the station boat and will now operate from the beach by the new boathouse, continuing for some weeks yet to play that vitally important role of being 'ever ready' to save life at sea off our coastline.

The new Shannon will become fully operational once the volunteer crew have completed their training in operating the boat and its SLRS launch and recovery system. Early next year the Mersey will be retired and we, and members of the public, will have an opportunity to say a fond and fitting farewell before she leaves Wells for the last time after serving us so well for 32 years.

As well as housing the Wells' lifeboats, the new station also provides a shop and visitor centre with a gallery from which the Shannon and inshore lifeboats can be viewed. The shop and visitor centre will be open most Saturdays and Sundays between 10am and 4pm over the winter with more days added as more volunteers are trained.

Starting in January, guided tours of the lifeboat station can be booked from this website. The tours will be for groups of up to twelve people and will last just under an hour giving people an opportunity to see the Duke of Edinburgh close up and discover more about the workings of the station.

We are again indebted to local photographer (and Sheringham lifeboat crew member) Chris Taylor for taking photos and making this video of the day, showing our Mersey leaving the old boathouse for the last time, boats, crew and families gathered on the beach and the flag ceremony. Prints of Chris' photos can be ordered here