Hastings New Lifeboat: Richard & Caroline Colton

This is a photograph of Hastings new Shannon Class lifeboat, the Richard & Caroline Colton, now built, and which is due to be launched this Tuesday 3rd of July, and thus begin her sea trials!

This story behind the Richard and Caroline Colton is from the Hastings Lifeboat facebook page: "Our new Shannon-class lifeboat is named Richard and Caroline Colton after the late Mr Richard Colton of Wellingborough and his late wife Caroline Colton.

Although Richard was not keen on the cold waters of the British Isles, during his younger years – and in warmer waters – he was a keen water skier and diver. Throughout his lifetime, Mr Colton was a supporter of the RNLI and he participated in the Ecurie Ecosse Historic Motor Tour in 1991 to raise funds to build a new lifeboat station at Invergordon.

Richard passed away in March 2015 and left an extraordinary legacy to the RNLI of two of the world’s rarest Ferraris. The classic cars were sold at auction for an impressive £8.5M – making the vehicles the most valuable items ever left to the RNLI – which has been used to fund the all-weather lifeboat Richard and Caroline Colton.

Richard’s legacy is also funding the Shannon Launch and Recovery for Hastings which will be named Richard and Mark Colton, after his late son Mark."

Photo courtesy of S Lowe, ALC, many thanks (and there are more on facebook).

Looking forward to her arrival!