NEWS ARCHIVE

VICTORY CHALLENGE 2005 ROWERS ARRIVE IN LONDON

Rowers arrived at Chiswick Pier at 11am on Sunday 11 September after rowing from Cornwall to London using the sea, canals and waterways.

The "Unity" was escorted down the River Thames by the Royal Shallop "Jubilant" with the Mayor of Richmond aboard and the RNLI Lifeboat from Chiswick. The crew was piped ashore by Chiswick Sea Cadets and formally welcomed by the Mayor of Hounslow and the Chairman of Chiswick Pier Trust.

The gig was launched on the 21st August 2005 from the RNLI lifeboat station on Port Isaac beach. Rowing in relays, by 11 September the volunteers will have covered 300 miles and negotiated one hundred and twenty-four locks. After a week recovering, the gig will take part in the “The Trafalgar Great River Race”, from Richmond to Greenwich on the 17 September.  The rowers are raising money for the RNLI, Fire Service Benevolent Fund and Junior/Youth Gig Rowing.

Chiswick Crewman in Round the World Race

Chiswick lifeboat crewman Andy Butler is setting off on the 18th September to compete in the Clipper 2005/6 Round the World Yacht Race. He will be fundraising for the RNLI and Cancer Research.

6th THAMES LIFEBOAT NAMED

The last of the 6 E-class lifeboats on the Thames was named at Putney on 29th July 2005. The traditional RNLI ceremony included hymns and prayers of dedication. The boat was named Joan and Ken Bellamy after the couple whose legacies paid for the lifeboat. Lifelong supporters of the RNLI, the couple from Kidderminster had no children but their name lives on in the lifeboat as it carries out its search and rescue duties on the Thames.

The ceremony was hosted by Youngs Brewery at their Putney Boathouse pub. Proceedings were livened up by a Jazz band.

CHISWICK LIFEBOAT Rescues 13 From Crippled Barge

Chiswick lifeboat crew went to the aid of 13 passengers and three crew aboard the barge Richmond Venturer on 27 March. The boat was being used to carry spectators during the Oxford-Cambridge boat race, when she suffered mechanical failure.

The vessel was caught out by the rising tide and became lodged under Hammersmith Bridge. Fortunately, the Chiswick lifeboat sprang into action and successfully evacuated all those on board including babies of 6 and 18 months. The Chiswick lifeboat and the reserve boat were called out. The second boat assisted with the recovery of the barge in collaboration with the Marine Police.

CHISWICK LIFEBOAT Rescues 17 From Flooded Island

17 people were rescued by Chiswick lifeboat from Chiswick Eyot just before it was covered by the rapidly flooding spring tide. The party including 2 children were exploring the island on Saturday 12 March after walking across the river bed from Chiswick Mall. They failed to notice the rising tide and were soon cut off. One of the party called 999. At 1.15pm the London Coastguard called out Chiswick RNLI lifeboat which arrived at the scene within 5 minutes. The helmsman put the boat onto the shore of the island then the crew helped all 17 safely on board. 

The 9m E-Class lifeboat is intended to carry 20 survivors but the maximum carried in previous incidents was half that number. Helmsman Alan Hudson said ”Even with that number on board the boat was very stable and there was still room for the 3 crew to handle the boat safely”;  he added “By the time we brought the survivors to shore the island was under water.”

Chiswick RNLI Branch opens

The Chiswick branch welcomes new members. For information contact Richard Millar on 020 8995 7021 or Robert Kinghorn on 020 8995 4020