Ross Stewart, a 37-year-old volunteer crew member with Larne RNLI, plans to run the London Marathon on April 26. The qualified mechanic joined the station in 2018. This marks his first full marathon after prior participation in the Larne Half Marathon and Hyrox events.

Stewart aims to raise funds for RNLI operations through the run. He noted on his fundraising page that donations support training and equipment for lifeboat crews responding around the clock. Funds also aid lifeguards on beaches and safety education teams across the UK and Ireland.

Stewart recently completed three months of training on Larne RNLI's new Shannon class lifeboat. The vessel arrived on February 15 at a cost of £2.7 million. Donor Michael Cameron funded it largely through the Cameron Family Charitable Foundation.

The new lifeboat replaces the station's previous Trent class vessel, Dr John McSparran, which operated off the Larne coast for 25 years. A naming ceremony for the Shannon, honoring Machiko Nancy, is scheduled later this year.