The harbour at St Abbs, Scotland
During our recent visit to Scotland we stayed just outside Dunbar in East Lothian, just off the south-east coast. One place that we absolutely love is the tiny fishing village of St Abbs, which is on the Berwickshire coast, about three miles north of Eyemouth. The cream-coloured building is the lifeboat station.
In September 2015 the RNLI withdrew their lifeboat from St Abbs though there had been one here since the loss of a steamship and 16 of her crew in 1911. The local community was dismayed. An appeal was launched to pay for a new boat and £70,000 was raised within a few weeks. But much more was needed. Boyd Tunnock of Tunnock's Teacakes had sent a cheque for £10,000 and the organisers phoned to thank him. He asked how much more was actually needed, and was told that the target figure was a quarter of a million. He promptly wrote another cheque.
The new lifeboat was delivered in July 2016 and was named Thomas Tunnock after Boyd's grandfather. It is a 9-metre RIB with room for 12 survivors and four crew. The top speed is 47 knots and the range is 150 nautical miles. The St Abbs lifeboat was back in business.
The harbour at St Abbs, Scotland
During our recent visit to Scotland we stayed just outside Dunbar in East Lothian, just off the south-east coast. One place that we absolutely love is the tiny fishing village of St Abbs, which is on the Berwickshire coast, about three miles north of Eyemouth. The cream-coloured building is the lifeboat station.
In September 2015 the RNLI withdrew their lifeboat from St Abbs though there had been one here since the loss of a steamship and 16 of her crew in 1911. The local community was dismayed. An appeal was launched to pay for a new boat and £70,000 was raised within a few weeks. But much more was needed. Boyd Tunnock of Tunnock's Teacakes had sent a cheque for £10,000 and the organisers phoned to thank him. He asked how much more was actually needed, and was told that the target figure was a quarter of a million. He promptly wrote another cheque.
The new lifeboat was delivered in July 2016 and was named Thomas Tunnock after Boyd's grandfather. It is a 9-metre RIB with room for 12 survivors and four crew. The top speed is 47 knots and the range is 150 nautical miles. The St Abbs lifeboat was back in business.