Rustman is the brainchild of Chris Shaw and Richard Webster, who share a lifelong love of outdoor endurance sport. Both men have a passion for the promotion of mental health and community through exercise, and both were selected as Olympic torch bearers in 2012 in recognition of their contributions. Chris and Rich harboured an ambition to plan an endurance event through which friends with a similar love of the local outdoors, choosing to accept the significant risks associated, would support each other through an endurance event similar to an Ironman but free to be non-corporate, non-profit and completed entirely under their own steam. Thus the Rustman was born, so named to represent the creaky knees and aching limbs of athletes of a certain age!

This year, having travelled North of the Border in 2023 and early 2024, we return for our 7th Edition (!) to the original Rustman Route - Biking, Running and Swimming from Birkenhead to Holyhead - a total distance of 200km. The route passes close to 7 RNLI stations and several team members have close links to the service, thus we are once again fundraising to help their vital work. We are expecting up to 30 hardy souls to participate in this challenging day.

This is a special year as it coincides with the 200th year anniversary of the lifesaving work of the RNLI. 200 years is an amazing milestone, but everything we have achieved in that time has only been possible thanks to ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Since the RNLI was formed in 1824, people like you have formed crews and funded the kit and lifeboats to save lives at sea. RNLI lifesavers are counting on you to join us in our 200th year and we are proud to have you beside us. Let’s see what we’ve achieved together and what the future holds.

In the last 200 years,

· Lifeboats have launched 380,328 times – 5 launches a day

· Lifeguards have responded to 303,030 incidents and saved 2,000 lives

· In total, since 1824, RNLI have saved 146,277 lives – 2 lives a day saved for 200 years

Too many people are still drowning. More than ever we need the RNLI’s help. As a charity, the RNLI depends on our donations so it can go on saving lives and keeping us and our loved ones safe.

RNLI lifesavers are our lifeline. They’re the lifeboat crews who provide 24-hour search and rescue right around the UK and Ireland. The lifeguards keeping watch on 240 of the busiest beaches in the UK and Channel Islands. And the RNLI safety teams and educators working tirelessly to stop people getting into trouble in the first place

You can learn more about the RNLI in this auspicious year by clicking on the link below:

https://rnli.org/about-us/our-history/2024

Thank you for reading this far, I'm sure all will agree that the RNLI is a charity we can all get behind and well worthy of our support. Every donation counts, no matter how small so please consider giving something. The Rustmen will continue pushing ourselves as long as we can!!

Best wishes

The Rustmen x