Adventurous Couple Conquer Aerial Phobia in Epic RNLI Lifeboat Station Tour

In August 2025, a couple from Surrey, Allan and Helen Thornhill, have completed over two-thirds of their ambitious 2-year mission to visit all 238 RNLI lifeboat stations across the UK and Ireland. The pair, who are raising funds for the 200-year-old life-saving charity, started their challenge in June 2024 and plan to finish at the RNLI's headquarters in Poole, Dorset, in the summer of 2026.

So far, the Thornhills have visited 164 locations, including Cornwall, Pembrokeshire, Northumberland, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, eastern Scotland, and the remote Orkney and Shetland islands. Highlights of their journey include the most northerly lifeboat station in the UK in Shetland, the stunning scenery of Longhope in Orkney, and the spectacular Cornwall coast.

The couple's journey has not been without its challenges, however. Helen Thornhill, who had not been on a plane for 15 years due to a fear of flying, was forced to overcome her phobia when the sea was too rough to travel to the Scilly Isles. "I don't really remember the flight as I had my eyes shut and was crying my eyes out," she said.

Despite the obstacles, the Thornhills remain committed to their charitable mission, having already surpassed their original fundraising target of £2,380 and now aiming to double that amount by the end of the challenge.