RNLI to lead BSAC 70th Anniversary Thames Boat Run

The British Sub-Aqua Club are celebrating their 70th Anniversary by inviting club members from around the country as well as international guests to sail along the River Thames from Erith Yacht Club at 8:30am to Tower Lifeboat Station central London for a cheque presentation.

Gravesend RNLI's Thames Commander Karla Thresher said, 'It'll be a real privilege to lead the twenty RHIBs inbound before handing over to Tower RNLI's E-Class lifeboat at the Thames Barrier to continue making way'

'It'll be a very unique sight to see so many BSAC RHIBs on the Thames, they'll be passing landmarks such as Greenwich, Canary Wharf, The O2 Arena, Globe Theatre, Tate Modern, HMS Belfast and Tower Bridge'.

RNLI Area Lifesaving Manager Neil Withers added, 'It's a real honour for our charity to be asked to lead this passage to Tower Lifeboat Station, we have a proud partnership with BSAC and hold workshops that aims to refresh existing safety and rescue skills as well as introducing techniques for improving surface location and survival skills for divers in an emergency.'

BSAC’s CEO Mary Tetley, said: 'The procession of lifeboats and RHIBs up the Thames on Saturday is going to be quite a sight, and a visual reminder that the RNLI has been by our side throughout BSAC’s 70-year history. The RNLI is an organisation dear to BSAC members’ hearts and it will be an honour to pass our donation to the RNLI so you can continue doing great work saving lives at sea'.

Notes to Editor

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Ashley Bard, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for Gravesend RNLI email [email protected]

Paul Dunt, Regional Media Officer (London and South East), on 07785 296 252 or email [email protected]

Julie Rainey, Regional Media Manager (South East), on 07827 358 256 or email [email protected]

RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789 or email [email protected]

RNLI online

For more information on the RNLI please visit rnli.org. News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the RNLI News Centre rnli.org/news-and-media.

Key facts about Gravesend RNLI

Gravesend RNLI is one of the RNLI’s newest lifeboat stations and one of four lifeboat stations operating on the River Thames. The first stations to specifically cover a river rather than estuarial waters or the sea.

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around Ireland and the UK. The RNLI operates 46 lifeboat stations in Ireland. The RNLI is independent of government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service.

Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, the charity has saved over 142,200 lives.

Key facts about BSAC

The British Sub-Aqua Club or BSAC has been recognised since 1954 by UK Sport as the national governing body of recreational diving in the United Kingdom. The club was founded in 1953 and at its peak in the mid-1990s had over 50,000 members declining to over 30,000 in 2009.