RNLI Launches Appeal to Enable Move from Chiswick to Wandsworth
Needs an extra £300,000 to fit out new facility for lifeboat
A visualisation of the potential new lifeboat station in Wandsworth. Picture: RNLI/David Clarke
November 4, 2024
The RNLI is launching an appeal to raise funds for a new base for the Chiswick Lifeboat crew in Wandsworth.
The charity has already purchased the building in the Wandsworth Riverside Quarter after an earlier fundraising but it needs addition capital to fit out the new station.
It has obtained planning permission of a change of use and now needs to make internal alterations to the building to allow it to serve as a 24/7 base for crews. There will also be space for training and visitors. Work is also needed to upgrade part of pier where the lifeboat will be moored.
A bequest has funded the majority of the cost, funds are still needed for the final £300,000.
Wayne Bellamy, manager of Chiswick Lifeboat Station said, 'The river is the lifeblood of our city but, as someone who helped set up the lifeboat service on the Thames, I know it can be deadly. More than 20 people still drown in the river every year, and every second counts when it comes to saving lives.
“We may not have to deal with big waves or hideous storms like our coastal counterparts, but we have to battle huge tides, fast-moving water, bridges, piers and constant river traffic. That’s why we’re one of UK’s busiest lifeboat stations and need to be on duty 24/7. The move to a better location will significantly reduce our response time, give our crew a permanent home, and lay the foundations for the future of our lifesaving service.’
The RNLI lifeboats on the tidal Thames at Chiswick, Waterloo Bridge and Gravesend have a duty crew of four ready to launch in 90 seconds. By the end of October Chiswick lifeboat crews had attended 326 incidents since the start of the year; the majority of these nearer to the new location. The new station is expected to become operational later in 2025.
Chiswick RNLI lifeboat station is the second busiest in the UK and Ireland. Since The RNLI search and rescue service on the Thames started in 2002, Chiswick Lifeboat has attended over 4,600 incidents and saved 193 lives.
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