Salcombe RNLI launches £450,000 appeal for new lifeboat

The Salcombe and Kingsbridge RNLI fundraising crew has launched an appeal to raise £450,000 for a new £2.7 million Shannon-class lifeboat. The vessel, to be named Baltic Exchange IV, is expected to arrive at the station next summer, with a naming ceremony planned for 2028.

Of the total cost, the Baltic Exchange has committed £1.25 million, having already raised approximately £650,000. Additionally, around £1 million has been secured through legacy and personal donations, and a recent dinner event contributed £400,000.

Philip Ward, Chair of Fundraising for Salcombe and Kingsbridge RNLI, noted that this target is a significant increase from the station’s typical fundraising average of £250,000. He emphasized that funds raised over the next 12 to 18 months will be directed specifically to the local station rather than being distributed across the wider RNLI network.