Lifeboat delivery in honour of Chris
AVITAL new lifeboat will be named in honour of a Southport man who tragically died when he fell into a river. Southport Offshore Rescue Trust’s newest inshore lifeboat (ILB) will be officially named and blessed later this month in memory of 21-year-old Christopher Taylor.
Christopher, who was a chemistry student at the University of Bath, lost his life after a desperate police rescue effort in 2014.
The talented young scientist died while walking home after celebrating the end of his exams before falling into the River Avon.
His family described him as “a wonderful son and brother.”
“Chris was a talented sportsman who lit up every room he walked into. His death has left us completely devastated,” they said in a statement released by Avon and Somerset Police at the time.
The lifesaving vessel will serve as a permanent memorial to the talented sportsman.
The D-Class IB1 lifeboat will be renamed at a ceremony at 2pm on Saturday, April 21, at the Waterside Lodge. Its £67,000 purchase comes after the trust, also known as Southport Lifeboat, was awared a £33,000 grant by the Department of Transport, with the rest of the cost raised through donations, the Lifeboat Lotto and the trust’s charity shop in Birkdale.
The Christopher Taylor is the same lifeboat currently used at more than 100 RNLI stations around Britain, and benefits from an improved design from the older model previously used at Southport.
It is primarily used for shallow waters and on the Marine Lake, but is currently acting as the main vessel for Southport whilst the Heather White lifeboat is away for refit. Nick Porter, trustee director and a coxswain, said: “We hope many of you can attend the naming ceremony and make it a memorable day. As an independent charity, funds generally come from the local area, so it is important for us to share this day with you.
“As everyone knows, we have been working tirelessly to raise funds for a new lifeboat station for Southport.
‘‘Being awarded over £30,000 by the DfT’s Inshore and Inland Rescue Boat G Grant Scheme has meant that we were able to order the boat whilst still working the new boathouse scheme.’’ Mr Porter added: “All of the volunteers are striving to provide the best rescue service we can, and when the Heather White returns from her refit we will have two of the best lifeboats money can buy, soon to be housed in a purpose-built lifeboat station in a prominent location.”
Mark Hesketh, a coxswain of the Southport Lifeboat, said: ‘ The new lifeboat vastly improves our ability to perform rescues on the Marine Lake and in shallow water off Southport, providing a faster response and better equipment than we previously had.
“The old ILB was bought second-hand from the RNLI in 2005 and has been a reliable servant and training boat for us, however it has begun to deteriorate and it has been evident for the past few years that it needs replacing soon.”
The naming ceremony is open for all to attend, starting at 2pm at the Waterside Lodge on Marine Drive.
Invited guests and VIPs will be welcomed inside the Lodge after the ceremony and demonstration for refreshments.