Last Friday, Executive Principal Carl Wakefield and Plume Academy's Head Students attended a service in London, celebrating the restoration of a historic lifeboat, led by Prince Edward, Duke of Kent.

Head Girl Grace Salfairso and Head Boy Jenson Bacon were accompanied by Mr Wakefield, at the service of dedication for the former special lifeboat 'Sir William Arnold', at St Katherine Docks Marina.

They were invited by Colin Trowles, who purchased the former lifeboat in 2019 following his retirement from the police. He attended Plume Academy in its previous incarnation, the Plume School.

Mr Wakefield said: "It was a real honour for us to attend the Service of Dedication for the Lifeboat Sir William Arnold at St Katharine Docks, London.

"His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent was the guest of honour and this whole amazing project was led and driven by an ex-Plume student."

The Sir William Arnold lifeboat was built in 1973 and is responsible for saving 224 lives over three decades.

The 52ft Arun class lifeboat attended 503 rescue missions and served its lifesaving career at St Peter Port, Guernsey.

Mr Trowles restored the vessel throughout the Pandemic, hoping to recreate how it would have looked in its operational life.

His aim is to open the Sir William Arnold to the public as the UK's first floating Lifeboat Education & Experience Centre in London's St Katharine Docks.

Find out more about the restoration of this historic lifeboat here.

advertisement