A NEW inshore rescue boat which will be safeguarding swimmers at Sandbanks beach, has been named after long term supporters of the RNLI.

Lifeguards have celebrated the start of the season by naming their Arancia boat after Maurice and Joyce Blake.

At a ceremony on the Poole beach, the craft was named in honour of the former chairman of the Surbiton and Kingston RNLI fundraising branch, who dedicated 35 years of his life to raising money for the charity that saves lives at sea.

He carried on even after he was left in a wheelchair after a knife attack. In June 2004 he was appointed MBE in the Queen’s birthday honours for services to the RNLI.

The surf rescue boat was officially handed over to the lifesaving charity by Chris Dainty, chairman of the Kingston and Surbiton branch to Barry Heathfield, RNLI lifeguard manager.

Barry passed the care of the boat on to Tom Denman, RNLI lifeguard supervisor for Dorset, who accepted it on behalf of Sandbanks lifeguards.

“I am really pleased to accept this new inshore rescue boat on behalf of the lifeguards here at Poole,” said Barry. “We are very grateful to the Surbiton and Kingston branch for donating this Arancia.

“Last year RNLI lifeguards in Dorset rescued 97 people and saved five lives. The charity’s lifesaving work relies on donations like this one and this new rescue boat will allow the lifeguards here at Sandbanks to carry out their lifesaving work whatever the conditions.”

The RNLI builds its own Arancias at their Inshore Lifeboat Centre on the Isle of Wight. The surf rescue boats are used on the beach by RNLI lifeguards and powered by a 30hp engine with full propeller guard. Highly manoeuvrable they are designed especially for the surf conditions the charity’s lifeguards work in.