Many of the emergencies that our London lifeboat crews are called to involve immediate risk of drowning, so their 40-knot E class lifeboats are essential.

Now an RNLI engineer has been recognised with an MBE for her role in developing the speedy vessels, stationed at Tower and Chiswick Lifeboat Stations.

Senior Naval Architect Dr Holly Phillips was included in HM The Queen’s Birthday Honours List in the Summer after developing the E class lifeboat – the fastest in the fleet. Holly has been involved in the RNLI for two decades after first volunteering in the 1990s and progressing to the rank of Senior Naval Architect in 2002.