Dubs make record run to Hunstanton for the RNLI
Volkswagen fans from across East Anglia rallied to support the charity that saves lives at sea.
They set off in their Dubs from all four corners of the region to join a fundraising convoy to a Norfolk lifeboat station.
More than 100 cars, vans and campers took part in the Run to the Hun on Sunday, 25 January.
After meeting up in a supermarket car park on the outskirts of King's Lynn, many headed north up the A149 coast road for the final 15 miles to Hunstanton.
Stormy Stan was there to greet them as they streamed into a seafront car park, along with volunteers from the lifeboat crew - who number one or two VW owners among their ranks.
As the car park quickly filled and a queue to snag a space built up outside Chris Marshall, one of the organisers from the Anglia Dub Hub group, said: 'We've got well over 100, it's going to be our busiest year so far.
'I'm hoping we're going to raise over £1,000, we made £860 last year.
'We support the RNLI because a lot of us are into watersports, I go paddleboarding and I'm hoping to learn to sail.'
Craig and Kerry Perkin, had driven the 90 miles from Northampton in their VW T4 camper to support the RNLI.
They hope to visit all 238 of the charity's lifeboat stations in their van called Robin, who already has 239,000 miles on the clock along with RNLI teddy bears and a knitted crew member on his dashboard.
'The RNLI rescued me when I was a kid,' said Craig. 'It was on holiday at Tenby in Wales, I was on a dinghy that got blown out to sea and they came out.
'When we got a camper van 12 months ago, we decided it would be a good idea to visit every lifeboat station.'
After crossing Hunstanton off their list, the couple have notched up around 60 stations - leaving Robin with plenty more miles to cover.
Many of the vans were emblazoned with stickers earned by attending past rallies all over the UK and further afield.
Jen Dormer, who'd driven her T4 van named Bear the 85 or so miles from Stevenage, was selling RTTH '26 (Run To The Hun 2026) stickers, with proceeds going to the RNLI.
'All the events have stickers and people have stickers on their vans with slogans like If you think this is slow wait 'till we get to a hill,' she said.
Jen, who's owned Bear for four years, added: 'It's my third VW, I just love the freedom they give you.
'Even when you can't get away and it's sitting on your drive, you know you could just get in and go away if you wanted.'
While some vehicles were lovingly customised and turned up with their paintwork gleaming in the weak winter sunshine, Vicky Morris from Swaffham took a different approach when she bought a 20-year-old VW Beetle for £300 four years ago.
The originally-silver car is literally covered in rust, while its dashboard is covered with papier mâché stained brown with tea, its seat covers have been sewn out of hessian sacks and a sticker near the driver's door proclaims Rustbox.
'It was lovely before, it was immaculate when I got it,' she said, adding her RTTH 26 sticker to its rear windscreen. 'My mum says I've ruined it.
'But I just had this idea in my head, I wanted it to be different, kind of rustic.'
As well as owners comparing notes on each other's pride and joy, the event also drew crowds to the seafront on a grey winter's day.
Derek Greening, chair of the Hunstanton and West Norfolk RNLI Guild, said: 'What a wonderful day again, it looks like even more VWs have turned up to support us this year.
'We're so grateful for the people who organise events like Run To The Hun, because without them the lifeboat station here and all of the others around our coastline would not be able to operate.'
Notes to Editors
Volunteers at Hunstanton RNLI operate both the inshore lifeboat Spirit of West Norfolk and search and rescue hovercraft
Hunstanton Flyer from their base on Sea Lane.
They cover The Wash, a coastal estuary of more than 200 square miles fed by four main rivers along with parts of the North Norfolk coast.
Crew members at the busy station are on call 24/7, 365 days a year; while their work is supported by its visits, shop and outreach teams, along with the Hunstanton and West Norfolk RNLI Lifeboat Guild which raises funds for the charity that saves lives at sea.
RNLI Picture captions
The photographs show images from the day. Credit: RNLI/Chris Bishop.
RNLI media contacts
For more information call Chris Bishop, Hunstanton RNLI volunteer Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer on 07584 147219, Clare Hopps, RNLI Regional Communications Manager, North and East on 07824 518641, or the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, 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.