Eastbourne RNLI welcome their new D Class lifeboat at ceremony

The lifeboat is named after David Hillebrand who left the RNLI a donation in his will.

The D Class lifeboat has been on service with the station for around a year and already has been credited with one life saved.

The volunteer crew and volunteers from all the teams at the station, water safety, shop and fundraising were joined by David Hillebrand’s daughter Carolyn Acton and her husband as well as RNLI Chair Janet Legrand for the ceremony held at the inshore lifeboat station on Fisherman’s Green in Eastbourne.

The ceremony was opened by station Mechanic James Wishman who welcomed everyone before the boat was handed over to the RNLI officially by Coxswain Guy Emery on behalf of Carolyn Acton.

Janet Legrand, Chair of the RNLI, accepted the boat on behalf of the RNLI and thanked the family before handing over to Lifeboat Operations Manager Carl Pocock.

Operations Manager Carl Pocock said during his speech: “We are extremely grateful for the donation David Hillebrand left to the RNLI and this lifeboat will help us to save lives at sea. 'David H' has already launched on service 53 times whilst on station, assisting ten people and has already been credited with one life saved.”

Father Robert Coates, station chaplain for Eastbourne then blessed the boat before Carolyn Acton Officially named the D Class ‘David H’.

Helm Tom Mele then thanked everyone before the volunteers at Eastbourne launched ‘David H’ on exercise to demonstrate the boat’s capabilities.