Duke of Cambridge flies in for N.I. visit

By David Young

The Duke of Cambridge has praised the "fantastic" work of search-and-rescue volunteers during a trip to Belfast.

The former lifesaving helicopter pilot mixed with dozens of fellow rescuers and named a new boat for the Lagan Search and Rescue Service after watching an exercise at Belfast Harbour.

William said: "It is fantastic what you are doing."

One of the helicopters from the recently-established Northern Ireland Air Ambulance service was parked nearby as the former RAF search-and-rescue pilot chatted with emergency workers.

He clocked up more than two years at the East Anglian Air Ambulance flying medical crews to emergencies.

William named the new inflatable-style boat the Ray of Hope, after fundraiser Ray Atkinson who helped raise the money for it - christening it with a dash of Bushmills whiskey.

He earlier watched a demonstration of a rescue in the steel-grey waters of the harbour amid heavy rain.

Prince William @TitanicQuarter names new @laganrescue boat Ray of Hope after fund-raiser Ray Atkinson (left) pic.twitter.com/59J5N96cEu

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) October 4, 2017

As he was presented with a bottle of Bushmills he told volunteers: "You guys deserve this after that."

Mr Atkinson, from Edinburgh, runs a project reusing surplus office furniture in Belfast.

Desks and chairs from large companies are sold to dealers and the funds go to good causes.

Lagan Search and Rescue was established in 2012 and has saved more than 50 lives, Mr Atkinson said.

"So now they have the capability of saving twice as many people."

Some have attempted to take their lives in the waters of Belfast Harbour, organiser's of the event said in acknowledging William's work on mental health.

LSR is Belfast's only water rescue charity and received a major boost from the new boat.

Andrew Hirst, 40, who helps run it, said: "It has been the work of all the volunteers, it has certainly been a group effort."

Flying visit...The Duke of Cambridge had a particular interest here before one last duty at Belfast Harbour...Next.. pic.twitter.com/cokdWSQpX3

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) October 4, 2017

He said Mr Atkinson had been invaluable.

"He put it to us, there was a lot of left-over redundant furniture and through various discussions we were able to avail of that, sell it on on behalf of the charity to turn it into cash for the charity."

Conor McKenna demonstrated a rescue, swimming strongly to pull a casualty to safety using buoyancy equipment.

He said that William asked about the types of rescue and the hours they put in.

He said he had been out saving lives on many occasions.

"We tried our best to follow our standard operating procedure and that was a scenario where a rescue swimmer would be deployed and then the boat crew was deployed as well."

The Duke of Cambridge meets with artists and service users as part of wellbeing initiative from charity Inspire pic.twitter.com/YZYpdB4q9y

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) October 4, 2017

The Duchess of Cambridge, who is pregnant with the couple's third child, did not accompany her husband on the trip to Northern Ireland.

During his visit to the Inspire social enterprise in the city centre he met mental health counsellors and service users before officially opening the charity's new offices.

He was presented with two paintings by world-renowned children's illustrator Oliver Jeffers - one for Prince George and the other for Princess Charlotte.

Mr Jeffers' brother Rory, the artistic director of the best-selling picture books, works with Inspire on projects that use art and creativity to help people express their feelings.

"Someone with his presence and reputation taking such an interest really raises the value," said Rory of William's visit.

"There is still this feeling that there is a real stigma around mental health and we don't talk about it and that's something that he could help change, which would be excellent."