Volunteers at Enniskillen RNLI will host a dual celebration at 2 pm next Saturday, 1 July, when the charity’s new state-of-the-art lifeboat station will be officially opened on Killadeas Road.
The charity’s Atlantic 85 class lifeboat, John and Jean Lewis, will also be officially named during a special ceremony. The lifeboat, which has been on service on Lower Lough Erne since 2018, was funded by a legacy from the late John and Jean Lewis from Birmingham.
John Arthur Lewis (1922 – 2013) was a major influence in both model yacht and full-size sailing yacht design with a career spanning 81 years. His interest in model boats began as a boy in Bournville when he used to race model sailing yachts successfully and later began to design and build his own. Success in the model design world eventually drew the attention of the ocean racing fraternity and several full-scale designs were produced. He went on to publish two books of designs. John’s lifelong interest in sailing was shared by his devoted wife, Jean. It was, therefore very much their joint decision that the RNLI receive a legacy to finance a lifeboat. While the extended family are unable to attend the ceremony next week, they are delighted that this wish has come to fruition in the purchase and active service of a lifeboat on Lough Erne.
The lifeboat, which has been on service on Lower Lough Erne since 2018, was funded by a legacy from the late John and Jean Lewis from Birmingham
Despite being on service for the last four and a half years, where the John and Jean Lewis has launched 97 times and brought 205 people to safety, the naming ceremony has been consciously held off to coincide with the completion and official opening of a new station, now home to the lifeboat and her volunteer crew.
After being housed in temporary accommodation for 21 years, volunteers at Enniskillen RNLI were handed the keys to their new state-of-the-art building on the Killadeas Road at Gublusk in November last year.
The modern purpose-built lifeboat station is located close to the lough to allow for an efficient inshore lifeboat launch. The station also houses the associated launching tractor and equipment, full crew changing facilities, a workshop, office and training room.
The Omagh-based company Woodvale Construction carried out the build, which took little over a year to complete.
A generous contribution towards the cost of the build was made by Ann Johnson, family of the late Alfred Russell Wallace Weir from Bangor in County Down, in his memory.
The building is designed with a heating system which allows the heat to be drawn from the ground and produced inside, keeping the temperature at an ambient 16 degrees Celsius. The excess is used to heat the water for showering, washing, and cleaning the vessels. The building is also fitted with solar panels on the roof to generate electricity.
In 2001, Lough Erne became home to the RNLI’s first inland lifeboat station. However, due to the overall size and complexity of the lough and its high leisure usage, the decision was taken by the RNLI in 2002 to base a second lifeboat on the upper lough at Carrybridge that would work in conjunction with the original lifeboat station on the lower lough at Killadeas. Today, Lough Erne is home to two separate lifeboat stations, Enniskillen and Carrybridge RNLI.
Speaking ahead of next week’s special event, Gary Jones, Enniskillen RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, said: ‘This day has been a long time coming, and I am delighted for the whole volunteer team that we can officially open this wonderful new station, home to our equally wonderful lifeboat. The new station is a testament of the RNLI’s commitment and dedication to the community here locally and a credit to our crew’s efforts in continuing to bring people to safety on Lower Lough Erne.
‘We are now well settled in our new station but can still be overwhelmed with the structure and facilities we now have when we come together for call-outs and training; it really has made such a difference. We would like to thank everyone who has helped us to get to this stage, including the Weir family from Bangor in County Down and the Lewis family from Birmingham. We will look forward to showcasing our new station and officially naming our lifeboat next week when we can share the occasion with our families, friends, and invited guests.’
