New £2.5m lifeboat for Norfolk to be used for 'Launch a memory campaign' to raise funds for RNLI

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A new Norfolk lifeboat is to carry the names of 10,000 people on its hull to help raise money for the RNLI.

The Shannon Class Lifeboat will be based in Wells and is the third in the UK to be commissioned for the charity's Launch a Memory Campaign, but the first to be based in England.

The idea behind the campaign is for people to be able to remember a loved one by adding their name in the letters and numbers printed on the side of the new all-weather lifeboat.

An example of what the names will look like on the hull of the lifeboat. Credit: RNLI

The first name to go on the £2.5 million vessel will be that of a much-missed member of the community, RNLI photographer Campbell MacCallum.

For 50 years he worked with the Wells Lifeboat crew, his images seen by many all over the world.

RNLI photographer, Campbell MacCallum ( In the middle in the blue jumper) Credit: Family photo

Campbell moved to Wells from London with his wife Dorothy in 1973 and died two years ago. His memory will continue to live on not just through his photos, but now on a new £2.5 million pound lifeboat. 

The all-weather vessell will carry the names of 10,000 people and the first to feature will be that of Campbell MacCallum.

A Shannon Class lifeboat. Credit: RNLI

The lifeboat is due to arrive in Wells next year and will be the first to be based in England.

The donations will help fund the vessell and new lifeboat station, which is currently under construction next to the old one.