A fundraiser has been set up to rescue the former Penlee lifeboat W&S and restore her to her former glory.
W&S is a Watson Class lifeboat, built by J Samuel White of Cowes in 1930. She served at Penlee for 30 years, saving 100+ lives. She was the first lifeboat at Penlee to be fitted with a VHF radio. She also helped with the war effort, rescuing soldiers from France.
In 2013, W&S was found abandoned in a Falmouth field, requiring extensive restoration works. She was transported to Harwich, but the works were not completed, and she is now in a very bad state. The vessel has been for sale for more than 18 months but has not found a new owner, so is at very serious risk of being scrapped.
Chloe Clevett and Chris Pullar are reaching out to try and find the right people who would love to help fundraise, give them a helping hand or even give a small donation. They estimate it will cost around £45,000 to completely restore the lifeboat, and plan to return her to her home port of Mousehole once the restoration is complete. W&S is a very important boat to the people of Mousehole and Penzance. In 1981, all 8 lifeboat crew tragically lost their lives when the successor to W & S, the Solomon Browne, sank while trying to rescue the Union Star in hurricane force 12 seas. Since this loss, the boathouse at Mousehole has remained empty.
If you would like to help bring a much loved and historic vessel home to where she belongs, please read more and donate:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-help-the-to-rescue-ws-from-harwich
Zone
South West