Montrose's new lifeboat named in memory of lifelong RNLI supporter

The D Class lifeboat Margaret Olive arrived at the town’s lifeboat station on January 8 and has already been launched in response to eight callouts.

Saturday’s event was attended by representatives from the RNLI and the local community gathered at the station on Wharf Street.

The service of dedication was followed by the naming ceremony, which was opened by Mike Neil, Lifeboat Management Group chairman, and saw Ken Brown officially hand Margaret Olive into the care of the team at Montrose RNLI Lifeboat Station.

The lifeboat has been named in memory of Mr Brown’s late wife, Margaret, who ran a dental practice in North East Scotland for 28 years.

She loved sailing, outdoor adventures and travelling and was a supporter of the RNLI throughout her life, and was always grateful when at sea that the RNLI were available if required.

The Margaret Olive will help the volunteer crew to save more lives, with the ability to operate closer to the shore and in confined locations. She is also highly manoeuvrable.

Scott Murray, coxswain/mechanic, said: "This new lifeboat will allow us to continue to save lives at sea, and has already been launched to eight call outs since she arrived in early January.

“The RNLI is funded entirely by generous donations from the public, and we couldn’t continue our work without generous donations like this one. We’re grateful to Ken Brown for his generous donation to fund Montrose’s D class lifeboat, Margaret Olive, in memory of his late wife.

"We’re honoured to have Margaret Olive here with us in Montrose to help us save lives at sea.”

The D class inshore lifeboat has been the workhorse of the RNLI for over 50 years. She is highly manoeuvrable and usually operates closer to shore than all-weather lifeboats.

She comes into her own for searches and rescues in the surf, shallow water and confined locations – often close to cliffs, among rocks and even inside caves.