A crowd of well over 200 people turned out to greet the new Leverburgh lifeboat as
she arrived this afternoon. The £350,000 Lifetime Care takes up duties at what
is the RNLI’s first new all-
Young and old mingled on the decorated pierhead to celebrate the occasion in the glorious sunshine. Leverhulme School closed for the afternoon to allow pupils to participate in the event. Excited children waved flags and parents tapped their feet to Iain Angus Macleod on the accordian.
Then the ferry Loch Portain cleared the harbour and the Lifetime Care came racing up the sound.
Coxed by Angus Morrison on the final leg into Leverburgh, and escorted by three local boats, she steamed into the harbour basin before 3pm to the sounds of a piper. She received loud applause from the crowd as she neatly swung alongside the slipway.
Leverburgh has taken the lifeboat to its heart and the RNLI was overwhelmed by the response from the South Harris community when they sought a volunteer crew.
Richard Smith of the RNLI said: “It was very easy to find a crew. Leverburgh is a small place but there’s a huge amount of enthusiasm and committment which is termoundously uplifting for our charity.
“We had a huge number of people come forward, we narrowed it down to a pool of about 18 and on any given day we would need six people to man the lifeboat.”
The new lifeboat station at Leverburgh is filling a gap in the coastal cover provided by the RNLI. The nearest stations are at Stornoway, Portree and Barra. Up to now they have covered the Sound of Harris area.
In recent years the RNLI received representations from the South Harris Community Council for a lifeboat. The growth of offshore fish farms and renewable energy projects, and an increase in leisure craft prompted the call for a new station.
A portable building incoporating the lifeboat station has been erected on the pier and the station will be monitored for a year or two before the RNLI decides whether to make Leverburgh a permanent station.
There is a part-
Paul Jennings, the RNLI’s Inspector in Scotland, arrived onboard the homeward bound lifeboat to help with the final training for the crew.
He says: ‘Everyone has worked very hard to ensure that the RNLI can establish a trial station at Leverburgh and we thank everyone for their support, both on the operational and fundraising sides.
‘The crew has had the opportunity in training to experience the tasks that will be demanded of them at sea.’
The new station is filling a gap in coastal safety cover. The nearest stations are at Stornoway, Portree and Barra. Up to now, these three stations have covered the Sound of Harris.
In recent years, we received representations from the South Harris Community Council for a lifeboat. Growing numbers of offshore fish farms, renewable energy projects and leisure craft prompted the call for a new station.
Crew training has included a visit to the state-
Intensive courses on casualty care were given in Leverburgh, and mechanics received training at the lifeboat station in Girvan, Ayrshire. Also during the training, the crew went to sea with Stornoway lifeboat crew.
John MacLean, Leverburgh Lifeboat Operations Manager, says: ‘The crew has been working very hard in preparation for the arrival of our lifeboat. The group consists of 17 men and 1 woman, and they all deserve praise for their enthusiasm and dedication in all aspects of training.
‘In addition to the 18 crew mentioned, there are other members already waiting in the wings to increase the group complement or to fill in any gaps which may arise.
‘We look forward to the challenges that will face us in the coming months and hope that we will be able to make a difference to the many people who use the seas around us.’
Hamish Taylor, President of the Leverburgh Fundraising Branch, says: ‘The support shown by our community has been a great encouragement.
'Presenting the case that the lifeboat is needed was relatively easy, but now the hard work is well underway and I take the opportunity to pay an unqualified tribute to the sterling work already done, especially by John MacLean and the crew.
‘If what they have already demonstrated and achieved is any indication of the future, then I am confident that Leverburgh Lifeboat Station will hold its own alongside the best.’
The cost of setting up the station is £90,000 with the annual running cost set at £135,000.
Leverburgh takes new lifeboat to its heart 2/5/12