Last leg of lifeboat station trek for Surrey couple

A Surrey couple aiming to visit every RNLI lifeboat station in the UK and Ireland are gearing up for the final stretch of their two-year mission.

Allan and Helen Thornhill, from Smallfield near Horley, have visited 190 of the 238 RNLI lifeboat stations, aiming to tick the final 48 off their list by the end of May.

The couple are set to visit Ireland for three weeks in April and May to visit 46 of the final stations, before finishing in Poole - the RNLI's headquarters - on 31 May.

Allan, who also volunteers for the RNLI in Brighton, said: "We had a relatively quiet Autumn and Winter, we've hit in again earlier this year."

He added: "Fundraising has slowed down a bit, but I am quietly confident that we will hit our target."

Allan and Helen, who began their mission in June 2024, visited the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands in February and March, but are still waiting to visit Alderney in Guernsey after part of their visit was cancelled due to the weather.

In December 2024, they ticked off their 100th lifeboat station at Tower Bridge in London.

In October, Allan said that while on a trip to the Scottish island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, they almost got stuck when ferries were cancelled due to the weather, leaving them to catch the only boat available.

The couple are using the mission to fundraise for the lifeboat charity.

Having hit their original fundraising target of £2,380 - £10 for each lifeboat station - in June 2025, they are now aiming for double that at £4,760.

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