Special ceremony for new lifeboat


Hundreds of people attended a special ceremony at Looe’s RNLI lifeboat station to officially name and dedicate the town’s new inshore lifeboat, the Ollie Naismith.


The D class, which has been in service since November,was funded by a public appeal which saw £84,000 raised in eight months – more than double the original target.


Under sunny skies during Looe Festival by the Sea, the invited guests and the local volunteer RNLI teams celebrated the occasion with a service of dedication, led by the Rev Brian McQuillen, former rector at St Martin’s, Looe, who came back to Looe especially for the service after his retirement.


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guests were present at the event, which also included a demonstration of the lifeboat’s capabilities after the ceremony.


Music was provided by the Looe Community School band and Pelynt Male Voice Choir. Polperro Fishermen’s Choir also attended.


Ollie loved the sea and he loved looe


The lifeboat was handed to the care of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution by John Naismith, father of Ollie, and was named by Ollie’s mother Maxine and sister Tori.


David Haines, RNLI lifeboat operations manager at Looe, said: ‘The Ollie Naismith is much faster than our last inshore lifeboat and is fitted out with hi- tech navigation equipment and an updated first aid and oxygen box.’


Volunteer lifeboat crew members, fundraisers, donors and other invited


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Although the festival is headlined by From the Jam, Ade Edmondson (of Young Ones, Bottom and Dance for Comic Relief fame) and the Bad Shepherds, Roy Wood and his Rock and Roll and The Selecter featuring Pauline Black, 90% of the bands performing are either from Looe, the surrounding area and Cornwall.


Press officer Edwina Hannaford said: ‘Although it’s quite a coup to have three chart topping groups in Looe, we want to ensure we showcase the best of local bands and musicians there are from in and around Looe and Cornwall.


‘There is so much home-grown talent in Cornwall and this offers them a chance to perform in front of a large audience on a professional stage on their home turf.’


The festival is set for September 23, 24


The £31,000 fundraising appeal began in March last year, when it was announced the boat would be named after Ollie Naismith, a teenager who died in a car crash in December 2009 at the age of 19, and just eight months later, more than £84,000 had been raised.


The additional money meant the RNLI was able to purchase a tractor and trailer for the new lifeboat


and will fund the running costs associated with the lifeboat for many years to come.


The Ollie Naismith arrived at Looe in November on what would have been his 20th birthday.


Mr Naismith said: ‘Ollie loved the sea and he loved Looe, this is the perfect tribute.’


Mrs Maxine Naismith said:‘We are celebrating the compassion, dedication and tremendous efforts of those who belong to the community of Looe and its surrounding areas, who contributed in one way or another and have brought us here today, to help keep us all safe at sea. For that, I thank you all.’


Looe Music Festival showcases home grown talent


and 25 with three soundstages; West Looe Quay marquee with a Cornish traditional feel, the Rose Garden Marquee, East Looe with an easy listening ambiance and the beach and seafront with an al fresco rock, pop, punk vibe.


Music will be concentrated during the day on the three soundstages then local pubs, restaurants and cafes will take over in the evening to maximise the benefits to the local economy.


Local performers include:


Southern Jelly who draw from their various differing backgrounds to produce a unique mix of blues, rock & folk.


Mr Rollo is from Pelynt hand possesses a mature and deep singing voice that belies his young age. Rollo Spreckley is a talented 17 year old singer-songwriter- pianist who performs his own contemporary popular music.


Miner Quay started life as small group of friend's meeting very couple of weeks in a public house in Looe singing for their own enjoyment sea shanties, sea fishing and Cornish mining songs.


Dalla are a Cornish band that have ignited the traditional music of Cornwall with their boundless imagination and irrepressible, infectious approach to the music.


Ade Edmonson, Bad Shepherds.


2Tonic are a highly entertaining and unique duo from Plymouth who appeal


Looe lifeboat crew.


Maxine and Tori Naismith, Ollie’s mother and sister, speak at the event.


Ollie’s sister Tori names the new lifeboat. Pictures: Chris Bowden.


to young and old alike, providing a unique sonic experience that will get your foot tapping from the start.


Cat’s Eye Morris are a Morris team from South East Cornwall who have invented their own kit and wrote (mostly) their own dances. They’re fast and energetic, and a bit different.


Pendrumm are a Looe based six piece rock covers band. Expect instrument swapping, face melting guitar solos from Dan, and drumming that'll make your trouser bottoms flap.


Kath and her Bluegrass Boys are a Cornish three piece band who mainly play lively Bluegrass and Country music.


Pentorr are a progressive Cornish folk band from Torpoint, playing bass driven arrangements of traditional Cornish tunes, mandolin intertwining with celtic fiddle combining of the melodic complexity of Cornish music with psychadelia and progressive influences.


Out of the Boxes are a 4/5 piece Cornish band with a line up of two semi acoustic guitars, fiddle, bass, percussion and two or three vocals.


James Shead is a young acoustic rock guitarist from Lansallos and started writing on guitar about two years ago.


Kris Dollimore is from Polperro and is an accomplished musician who has played with many international bands and artists, including Del Amitri, The Damned and Adam Ant.


Idle Hands are based in Talland and are a electro-acoustic duo who focus on rock, country and folk songs from the 1960s to the present day.


Sandfire Siren are a four piece band LOOE NEWS AUGUST 2011 7


from Newquay with strong links to Looe, who look to bridge the gap between dance and rock music.


Claire Stokes is a vocal / guitarist from Looe, although currently living in Manchester.


There will also be a host of workshops, street entertainment and dance performances.


The weekend kicks off with an afternoon tea dance in West Looe and an early evening processional from East Looe to West Looe where everyone is invited to ‘make some noise’ to welcome a giant pasty followed by a Noz Lowen on West Looe Quay from around 5pm.


Festival tickets are available on-line from www.looemusic.co.uk or from Looe Tourist Information Centre.


The Rev Brian McQuillen blesses the lifeboat.


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