'Lifeboat 4 Lifeboats' fundraising voyage to get underway

Departing from Portsmouth Harbour AMiTy is aiming to visiting a grand total of 31 volunteer-run Lifeboat Stations across Hampshire, Dorset, The Isle of Wight, Sussex, Kent and Southend in Essex on route, with the ambition of raising a £1000 for each.

Full details of her journey and how to make a donation can be found on their Facebook page.

Saturday 24th. Depart Endeavour Quay 08:00Bembridge (09:30)Cowes (12:45)Yarmouth (15:00)Swanage (19:15)Mooring for the night confirmed on the RNLI’s mooring.

Sunday 25th. Depart Swanage 08:00Poole (10:00)Mudeford (13:15)Lymington (16:30)Calshot (19:45)Hamble (20:30)Mooring for the night confirmed and gifted by the harbour master.

Monday 26th. Depart Hamble 08:00GAFIRS (10:00)Portsmouth (11:45)Hayling (13:15)Selsea (15:30)Littlehampton (18:45)Mooring for the night confirmed.

Tuesday 27th depart Littlehampton 08:00Shoreham (10:00)Brighton (12:15)New Haven (14:30)Eastbourne (18:45)Mooring at Eastbourne Marina confirmed.

Wednesday 28th depart Eastbourne 08:00Hastings (10:00)Rye (11:45)Dungeness (13:30)Littlestone (14:45)Dover (19:00)Mooring at Dover confirmed.

Thursday 29th. Refuel then depart Dover 10:00.Walmer (12:00)Ramsgate (12:45)Margate (17:00)Margate mooring confirmed.

Friday 30th. Depart Margate 08:00 on the tide.Whitstable (11:00)Sheerness (14:15)Southend (15:30)Gravesend (18:45)Mooring at Gravesend to be confirmed.

Saturday 31st. Run in on the Thames to Tower, and then back to Gravesend in the same day, if possible.

Sunday 1st September. Depart Gravesend first light, mooring booked at Dover.

Monday 2nd. Depart Dover, first light mooring booked at Littlehampton.

Tuesday 3rd. Depart Littlehampton first light to get back to Portsmouth.

Wednesday 4th. Head back to our mooring in Fareham to complete the journey for around 11-11:30.

A Brief History of ‘Lifeboat AMiTy’.

Built by J. Samuel White from Cowes on the Isle of Wight and registered on 17/7/1962. This 47ft Watson Class became the station's Lifeboat at Howth Ireland Named Austin Mulhauser Toon, A.M.T.

29/8/1986: She retired from Howth and became the relief Lifeboat at various stations. Courtmacsherry Harbour, Galway Bay, Penlee, The Lizard, Appledore and finally Poole Depot.

1/6/1989: A.M.T. was declared ‘non operational’ and was sold out of service to Graham Avery of Barnstaple, a retired bespoke cabinet fitter, in 1991.

There she remained until being sold in 2004 to Christopher & Julie Warner, where she moved to new moorings at Watermouth Bay, North Devon.

She changed hands again in 2015 into the custody of Elvin & Cindi Shawyer where she returned home to the Solent & Portsmouth Harbour.

During A.M.T.’s service she gallantly launched 212 times. During which she saved 87 lives.197 launches and 83 lives saved at Howth, 15 launches and 4 lives saved whilst in service as part of the relief fleet.

She is now named 'AMiTy', in the spirit of friendship in which she was launched and seen by those she saved.