New Larne lifeboat to carry Machiko Nancy’s name on life-saving missions

RNLB Machiko Nancy, set to be officially named in a cermony next weekend in Larne

Larne RNLI’s new £multi-million Shannon class lifeboat will be officially named Machiko Nancy next Saturday, honouring the remarkable woman whose family helped fund a vessel expected to save lives for generations.

The lifeboat, which entered service in February, will be named during a ceremony at East Antrim Boat Club at 2pm on Saturday, 18 July.

Machiko Nancy replaces the station’s Trent class all-weather lifeboat, Dr John McSparran, which protected communities along the Larne coast for 25 years.

A lasting tribute to Machiko

The new lifeboat was largely funded by Michael Cameron and his late wife, Machiko, through the Cameron Family Charitable Foundation, which Machiko helped establish.

Mr Cameron is expected to attend the naming ceremony as the lifeboat formally takes the name of his late wife.

Born in Vancouver, Canada, in August 1954, Machiko was of Japanese Canadian heritage. She married Michael in November 1980 while he was working in Vancouver, before the couple moved to the West Midlands in 1989.

Machiko qualified as an accountant in both Canada and England and Wales and built a successful career as a business manager.

Following her retirement in 2010, she devoted more of her time to gardening and dancing.

She died at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital in September 2020 following a short illness.

Her name will now travel with Larne’s volunteer lifeboat crew whenever they launch into dangerous seas to help those in difficulty.

Doctor’s legacy also helped fund lifeboat

The Machiko Nancy was also funded through the generosity of the late Mrs Maureen Beryl Bruce Murray, whose life and medical career were deeply shaped by her experiences during the Second World War.

Maureen trained as a doctor during the war, with her class initially moved to Exeter for safety before later returning to Croydon.

The day after their return, one of the dormitories was struck by a V-1 flying bomb—commonly known as a doodlebug—killing all the students inside. It was an event Maureen never forgot.

She went on to work as a GP in Croydon, eventually becoming senior partner at her practice.

Maureen was also involved in local NHS governing bodies and became chair of Croydon Hospital Trust. A tree was planted in her name within the hospital grounds following her retirement.

The Cornish coast was among her favourite holiday destinations and may have been where she first encountered the work of the RNLI.

She had also developed a lasting admiration for courage through her wartime work examining pilots.

‘A special day’ for Larne volunteers

Speaking ahead of the ceremony, Larne RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Jonathan Shirley said the new lifeboat would be proudly cared for by the station’s volunteers.

“This is a special day for our lifeboat volunteers, our families and all our supporters as we prepare to officially name our wonderful new lifeboat in memory of Machiko Nancy,” he said.

“We are proud custodians of this lifeboat, which will go on to rescue and save many lives in the years ahead.”

Built for modern search and rescue

The Shannon is the first modern RNLI all-weather lifeboat to be powered by waterjets rather than traditional propellers.

The technology makes it the charity’s most agile and manoeuvrable all-weather lifeboat to date, allowing crews to operate effectively in difficult conditions and confined waters.

Designed entirely by the RNLI’s own engineers, the Shannon was developed to meet the demands of a modern search and rescue service.

It can be launched and recovered from a beach using a specially designed launch and recovery system, while it can also operate from a slipway or remain afloat at a mooring.

Larne RNLI was established in 1994 and its all-weather and inshore lifeboats have since launched 707 times.

Volunteer crews from the station have come to the aid of 775 people, with 43 lives saved.

The naming of Machiko Nancy will mark the beginning of a new chapter for the station—carrying the legacies of two generous women on every future rescue mission off the Larne coast.