Austin Healey owners call into visit Hunstanton RNLI

Sunday 6 April 2025

A group of classic car enthusiasts showed their support for the charity that saves lives at sea when they visited a Norfolk lifeboat station on Sunday 6 April.

Jonathan Woodrow from the Austin Healey Club UK presents the raffle proceeds to Kate Craven from Hunstanton RNLI, with club members and lifeboat crew in the background

Members of the Austin Healey Club UK were given a tour of Hunstanton Lifeboat Station and its craft.

Some 50 fans of the classic 1950s, 60s and 70s sports car were staying at the Le Strange Arms Hotel, where a raffle the previous evening raised £425 for the RNLI.

After breakfast on Sunday, they were given a talk by Kate Craven, the station's visits officer and water safety lead, about the work of the Hunstanton crew.

They then came to look around the launch tractor and its carriage, while hovercraft pilot Leesa Espley fired up the asset to show how it can reach casualties in inaccessible areas at low tide by floating on air.

Jonathan Woodrow, the Austin Healey club's chairman for the Southern Counties area, said members stayed at the Le Strange Arms every year whilst on their annual Daffodil Run event.

'This is our 33rd year and we thought it was time we came to visit the RNLI as we see you on exercise every year,' he said.

'I used to sail and I'm aware you can just go down the beach and things can very quickly go wrong.

'It's people like the crew here who make it safe for people like us.'

Notes to Editors

Hunstanton is one of the busiest lifeboat stations in Norfolk, whose volunteers operate the fast inshore lifeboat Spirit of West Norfolk and the search and rescue hovercraft Hunstanton Flyer.

They cover The Wash, a tidal estuary stretching for more than 100 square miles fed by five main rivers, along with parts of the north Norfolk coastline.

Like more than 200 lifeboat stations around the coast of the UK and Ireland, their lifesaving work would not be possible without the kindness of those who donate, raise funds or remember the RNLI in their wills.

RNLI Media Contacts

For more information call Chris Bishop, Hunstanton RNLI volunteer Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer on 07584 147219 or Clare Hopps, RNLI Regional Communications Manager, North and East on 07824 518641 or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.

Carolyn Woodrow shows launch authority Paul Stewart the 1962 3L Austin Healey she owns with husband Jonathan, which has 115,000 miles on the clock

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.

Austin Healey owners call into visit Hunstanton RNLI

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