At a special ceremony on Tuesday, the new independent all-weather lifeboat at Caister-on-Sea, near Great Yarmouth, was officially unveiled as the Annette Thurlow.
Traditionally, Caister names its lifeboats after its largest benefactors. Following Annette’s passing, her family and community set up a charity in her name, raising around £150,000 to support the project.
Family Tribute to Annette Thurlow
Her husband Dick Thurlow, coxswain between 1991 and 2004, described the moment as deeply emotional:
“There had been a lot of tears at the naming, but it was a wonderful occasion.”
Annette was also the mother of current joint coxswain Richard Thurlow and crew member Aaron Thurlow.
Richard reflected:
“It’s a huge moment , a proud moment for the family, station, village, and the lifeboat community in general.”
He added that his mother’s career as a nurse inspired her passion for organ donation, though sadly her sudden death meant her organs could not be used.
“We couldn’t go through that process for her, so we looked at trying to save lives another way – and that’s where this idea sprung from. It’s such a fitting tribute.”
One of the Best in the UK
The boat was officially christened by Lady Pippa Dannatt, Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk, and built on the Isle of Wight. Expected to remain in service for 25 years, it includes:
- Advanced care facilities for casualties
- Improved comfort for the crew
- Self-righting technology for safety
- Thermal imaging equipment to spot people in the water
Joint coxswain Owen Nutt, who joined alongside Richard when they were both 15, praised the new vessel:
“It’s great for us as an independent lifeboat in a small village… to have the latest technology and one of the best boats in the UK.”
Independent Lifeboat with a Proud History
Caister Lifeboat was part of the RNLI from 1857 until 1969, when it was scheduled for closure. Refusing to give up, local lifeboatmen kept the service alive. Today, Caister is the only independent lifeboat station on the UK mainland operating both an offshore all-weather boat and an inshore craft.
Already in use, the Annette Thurlow has saved nine lives, including four sailors rescued from a yacht stranded on a sandbank. The international crew from Denmark, Austria, and Germany had no money, passports, or clothes. Caister volunteers not only rescued them but also arranged food, accommodation, and train travel to London to reach their embassies.
On Tuesday, the station received a letter of thanks from the German ambassador. Crew member and chairman Paul Garrod praised the recognition:
“There are about 60 of us, none of us are paid, we all do it for the love of it. A lot of people go out and collect stamps, but we go out and save lives. It’s a hobby to us, but we absolutely love it.”
