David Dimbleby names Welsh lifeboat at dedication service

The veteran broadcaster officially named the Tamar-class lifeboat on Sunday

David Dimbleby was the guest of honour at RNLI Porthdinllaen yesterday (28 September), when he officially named the station’s newest lifeboat.

The veteran BBC broadcaster (pictured above right) was invited to join in with the celebrations as the RNLI centre marked 150 years of saving lives off the Welsh coast.

It was an emotional occasion for the Question Time host, as the Tamar-class lifeboat was named after his close friend and former RNLI governor John D Spicer, who passed away in 2010.

The £2.7m lifeboat came into service in 2012 and has been launched 32 times since then, but the official naming ceremony was timed to coincide with the opening of RNLI Porthdinllaen’s new £9.8m boathouse.

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Ken Fitzpatrick, lifeboat operations manager at RNLI Porthdinllaen, said: “A dedication service is a historic event for all coastal communities.

“It’s a chance for us to personally thank the donors and their families by showcasing the lifeboat’s capability so they can see the difference their loved ones legacies will make by saving lives at sea.”

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