This in from George at Cowes RNLI, in his own words. Ed
A week after a new RNLI lifeboat station opened in Cowes the station is taking delivery of a brand new lifeboat.
Tabby Cat, the relief Atlantic 85 RIB which has served the Cowes crew so faithfully for the past four years is on Friday evening being replaced with another 85, Sheena Louise.
All welcome to grand change-over
The public will be able to witness this exciting change-over from The Parade at about 6.30pm, when the Sheena Louise arrives from the RNLI’s East Cowes-based Inshore Lifeboat Centre where it was recently built.
For the last time Tabby Cat will be winched down the new slipway, and then the metal trolley will bring ashore the new boat.
To mark the event a party is being held in the station for crew members and their families, and local RNLI supporters and fund-raisers. Also invited are the mayors of Cowes and East Cowes.
Large donation enabled new lifeboat
An invitation has also gone Mrs Bertha Pollock and her family on the mainland. It was she who donated the £190,000 cost of the lifeboat in memory of her late daughter whose first names are given to the boat.
It was only last Friday that the new station, situated between The Parade and the Island Sailing Club, became operational, rendering the former station at Shepards Wharf Marina surplus to requirements.
The new station’s £1-million appeal launched in April last year by the actress Celia Imrie, has so far raised just over £700,000.
