New community lifeboat leaps into action thanks to Southern Water support

Water users in The Solent are benefitting from a new lifeboat after Southern Water teamed up with a life-saving charity. 

A year on from Southern Water awarding volunteers at Solent Rescue Independent Lifeboat a £5,000 grant towards the replacement of their outdated D-Class lifeboat, they now have a replacement IB1 vessel ready for action. 

Based at Lepe Country Park, this new compact boat will allow the crew to get closer to shore and access shallower water than ever before, plus operate with less crew members than their larger Arctic 24 lifeboat did, meaning it can be utilised more often while still offering the same service. 

And the vessel was given its name ‘Quantum Lepe’ at a special ceremony on Monday 12 June following a competition at Wildground Infant School – with the winner being Evelyn aged 6.  

Alex Willumsen, Community Partnerships and Programme Manager at Southern Water, said: 

“We were delighted to support this fantastic charity and the amazing life-saving service it provides in The Solent. It is very exciting now to see this lifeboat out on the water – and with such a fabulous name too!” 

Lee Cooper, Solent Rescue Lifeboat Operations manager, added: 

“The arrival of ‘Quantum Lepe’ would not have been possible without the fantastic support of the team at Southern Water. It gives us much greater capability to help those in distress on The Solent and its shores.

“The crew have been massively impressed, not just with the boat but also with the fantastic name provided by Evelyn. I am sure the boat will serve us well for years to come.”