We recently attended a lifeboat naming ceremony at the RNLI (The Royal National Lifeboat Institution) headquarters in Poole, Dorset

While many people choose to support the RNLI through donations or by leaving money in their will, there’s also the unique opportunity to have a lifeboat named after you

A Shannon-class lifeboat costs an impressive £2.7 million ($3.51 million), but for those without that scale of donation, the RNLI’s Launch a Memory scheme offers another way to be part of their life-saving mission

For a suggested donation of £75 / €75 / $97 per name, you can have the name of a loved one, added to a lifeboat

Once submitted, the RNLI keeps you updated with opportunities to see your chosen name proudly displayed on the vessel

Julie Harris chose to honour both her ex-husband, Richard, and his father, Chris, in this way

We travelled down to Poole to see their names on the boat and to capture the moment with photos

It was a reminder that even small gestures can create lasting tributes, connecting personal memories with a cause that saves lives at sea every day