Historic rescue triggers round Britain adventure for the RNLI

4:47pm Monday 12th May 2008

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A dramatic rescue bid in North Wales in 1859 has prompted a Falmouth man to circumnavigate Britain in aid of the RNLI. Andy Birchall's great, great grandfather lost his life as skipper of the steam clipper, Royal Charter, which was wrecked in a hurricane on Anglesey. His modern day voyage will pay tribute to the lifeboat volunteers of the past, present and future striving to save lives at sea.

Thomas Taylor was captain of one of the world's first steam clippers and on passage from Melbourne to Liverpool when the Royal Charter was overtaken by a hurricane less than fifty miles from home. She was a strong ship with a courageous crew, but despite all this the vessel was wrecked on the north shore of Anglesey. It is what happened on the shoreline that persuaded Andy to take on his round Britain challenge.

"Men from the village of Moelfre staged an heroic rescue bid, but despite this, less than forty people were saved and more than 450 men, women and children died, including my great, great Granddad. The Moelfre lifeboat crew were unable to launch their rowing lifeboat because the storm was so fierce. Instead they led a cliff-top rescue effort. A Maltese seaman, Guze Ruggier swam ashore with a line but it broke and less than 40 were rescued.' "If the incident happened today the Moelfre, Holyhead and Llandudno lifeboats would have been able to go to the rescue and many, many more lives would have been saved. As a tribute to all RNLI volunteers I shall be taking my motor boat around Britain and asking people to sponsor themselves as a passenger or crew member for each leg."

Andy will be making the passage onboard his Hardy 42, Mary Winward, which is named after his grandmother, the granddaughter of Captain Taylor.

A large group of Andy's friends have committed to making donations to the RNLI as thanks for accompanying him on the different legs of the voyage as crew and passengers.

Andy plans to set off from Falmouth on Wednesday May 21 and return to the port around Wednesday July 9. He will visit the following ports in the order listed: Milford Haven, Holyhead, Liverpool, Whitehaven, Rhu (Helensburgh), Port Ellen (Islay), Tobermory (Mull), Portree (Skye), Stornaway (Lewis), Kinlochbervie, Stromness (Orkney), Peterhead, Dunbar, Hartlepool, Grimsby, Lowestoft, Tollesbury, London Bridge, Ramsgate, Newhaven, Poole, Brixham and back to his home port of Falmouth.

Andy is a Life Governor of the RNLI. He began sailing at the age of 12 and currently cruises Mary Winward, windsurfs and sails a small 1926 wooden ketch.