HRH The Duke of Kent visits RNLI headquarters in Poole

by Laura Fennimore, RNLI on 24 Apr 2010 His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent visited the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s (RNLI) headquarters in Poole on Thursday 22 April. The visit included a trip on an experimental lifeboat, a tour of the charity’s boatyard, and a talk about the development of the next class of all-weather lifeboat.

The Duke of Kent, who is President of the RNLI, boarded the experimental lifeboat, FCB2, which is currently in development and will eventually become the charity’s latest class of all-weather lifeboat as the successor to the Mersey class. Once aboard, he was taken out to sea around Poole Bay with staff and crew from RNLI headquarters.

On returning to the charity’s boatyard, he was greeted by RNLI staff who led a tour of the yard – explaining the activities that take place there, and the important service, repair and maintenance procedures that ensure the RNLI’s lifeboats remain fit for the volunteer crews to carry out their role of saving lives at sea.

The Duke of Kent then moved on to The Lifeboat College – where RNLI crew training takes place – to talk to the RNLI staff involved in the development of FCB2, to find out more about the design and technology behind the vessel he was taken to sea on earlier in the day, and how it will benefit the RNLI’s volunteers when it becomes fully operational.

Chris Eves, RNLI FCB2 Project Manager, says: ‘It was a great honour to welcome The Duke of Kent to RNLI headquarters today. As our President, he shows a great deal of interest in the charity and its lifesaving work. It was very exciting to be able to show him the FCB2 experimental lifeboat and take him afloat on it, and thereafter show him the design and development of the prototype. He seemed to enjoy his visit and found out more about the work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure the RNLI’s volunteer crews have the very best lifeboats and equipment to continue saving lives at sea.’