Her
sister-in-law, Joyce Huntbatch, aged 90,(pictured left)
travelled from her home in Wolverhampton to name the lifeboat. ‘It’s a very great honour to be asked to name the lifeboat, and lovely that Betty is being commemorated in this way. Her late husband Bernard was in the Royal Navy during the war and we think that must have sparked their interest in the RNLI,’ said Mrs Joyce Huntbatch.
‘The RNLI crews do a wonderful job and I hope this new lifeboat helps to save many lives off the North East coast.’
The lifeboat was handed over to the RNLI by the executors of Mrs Huntbatch’s will and was accepted on behalf of Hartlepool Lifeboat Station.
Betty Huntbatch was built in 2003 and until going on service in Hartlepool last September was part of the RNLI’s relief fleet. The lifeboat has a top speed of 25 knots and will enable the Hartlepool lifeboat crew to reach casualties faster than ever before.