Latest news with #Tintanic
The Independent
09-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
‘Major Mick' launches one more year of fundraising in homemade Tintanic boat
Army veteran 'Major Mick' Stanley has launched a 'final' summer of fundraising in his homemade Tintanic rowing boat – a year after saying his previous effort would be his last. Michael Stanley, 84, was seen off by the Duke of Richmond as he set off on the first leg of his sixth year of rowing the tin boat at Chichester Yacht Club. His previous efforts have taken him as far afield as Paris, across the Solent and to Scotland, meeting the King and Government leaders along the way. In 2023 he won the JustGiving award and by end of 2024 had raised £88,000 by completing 480 miles in the 6ft vessel. This year he plans to row the north end of the Isle of Wight in stages from the Needles to Bembridge. He previously supported Children on the Edge, a Chichester-based charity which supported an orphanage near Kyiv, Ukraine, but this has now closed as many of the children have been taken in by family members and the rest by the Romanian care system. Mr Stanley, from Chichester, West Sussex, has decided to dedicate this year's fundraising to local St Wilfrid's Hospice. Declaring for a second year in a row that it would be his final year, he said: 'This will be the final shout. I think my wife is bored with sharing the car with me and Tintanic as when we are going along she can't see me and it's rattling around like a pea in a pod. 'I think my wife will be quite happy when it's finished.' He added: 'So far I have travelled 480 miles and this year I hope to complete the 500 and I have been lucky to raise £88,000 for charity and if I could raise another £12,000 that would be the cherry on the cake. 'My real enjoyment is talking to people and having fun.' And on the state of the Tintanic, which is the second incarnation of his boat after the first developed too many leaks, he said: 'It's remarkably good, I have to take it out of the water from time to time to stop the leaks, apart from that it's bearing up well.' Charles Gordon-Lennox, 11th Duke of Richmond, said: 'It's an amazing achievement, look at him getting in and out of that boat, it's incredible. 'I hope I am like that at 84 and to have rowed all those miles and be so fit, he'll live forever, I think.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Army veteran, 84, begins final Tintanic II mission
A retired army major is hanging up his oars after rowing nearly 500 miles in homemade tin boats for charity – but not before one final challenge. Michael Stanley, known as Major Mick, first took to the seas and rivers of southern England on his boat, dubbed Tintanic, to raise money for a Ukrainian orphanage in 2020. He said the orphanage is closing as the majority of children had been rehoused with their extended families and the few remaining were being taken into the Romanian care system. The 84-year-old, who has so far raised £88,000 by rowing 480 miles, set off from Chichester Yacht Club on Friday as he begins his final year of fundraising with hopes of reaching £100,000 and 500 miles. Mr Stanley sold the original Tintanic for £480, which he donated to the orphanage, and built Tintanic II, which he will use for the final time this year. The funds raised in his final challenge will be donated to St Wilfrid's Hospice, based in Chichester. During his rowing challenges across England, Scotland and Wales, Mr Stanley has met the King and the prime minister, but said the time had come to call it a day. "My wife isn't too keen on travelling with the boat in the car and I'm starting to run out of ideas," he said. "It's been a fantastic way of passing the time, but it's the people that have made it so special." The Duke of Richmond launched Tintanic II from the Chichester Yacht Club, in Birdham, at 11:00 BST on Friday. Mr Stanley left the pontoon at 11:45 and rowed a short distance to get a few more miles under his belt, before taking on a series of rows later this year. He said he expected to do more than 500 miles and was even planning to row along the entire northern coast of the Isle of Wight. Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Army vet Major Mick, 81, sets sail on Tintanic II Army veteran launches charity row in homemade boat
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Army veteran, 84, begins final Tintanic II mission
A retired army major is hanging up his oars after rowing nearly 500 miles in homemade tin boats for charity – but not before one final challenge. Michael Stanley, known as Major Mick, first took to the seas and rivers of southern England on his boat, dubbed Tintanic, to raise money for a Ukrainian orphanage in 2020. He said the orphanage is closing as the majority of children had been rehoused with their extended families and the few remaining were being taken into the Romanian care system. The 84-year-old, who has so far raised £88,000 by rowing 480 miles, set off from Chichester Yacht Club on Friday as he begins his final year of fundraising with hopes of reaching £100,000 and 500 miles. Mr Stanley sold the original Tintanic for £480, which he donated to the orphanage, and built Tintanic II, which he will use for the final time this year. The funds raised in his final challenge will be donated to St Wilfrid's Hospice, based in Chichester. During his rowing challenges across England, Scotland and Wales, Mr Stanley has met the King and the prime minister, but said the time had come to call it a day. "My wife isn't too keen on travelling with the boat in the car and I'm starting to run out of ideas," he said. "It's been a fantastic way of passing the time, but it's the people that have made it so special." The Duke of Richmond launched Tintanic II from the Chichester Yacht Club, in Birdham, at 11:00 BST on Friday. Mr Stanley left the pontoon at 11:45 and rowed a short distance to get a few more miles under his belt, before taking on a series of rows later this year. He said he expected to do more than 500 miles and was even planning to row along the entire northern coast of the Isle of Wight. Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Army vet Major Mick, 81, sets sail on Tintanic II Army veteran launches charity row in homemade boat
BBC News
09-05-2025
- BBC News
Chichester army vet Major Mick to retire from fundraising
A retired army major is hanging up his oars after rowing nearly 500 miles in homemade tin boats for charity – but not before one final Stanley, known as Major Mick, first took to the seas and rivers of southern England on his boat, dubbed Tintanic, to raise money for a Ukrainian orphanage in said the orphanage is closing as the majority of children had been rehoused with their extended families and the few remaining were being taken into the Romanian care 84-year-old has raised £88,000 by rowing 480 miles, but has plans to reach his goal of £100,000 and 500 miles during this year's and his last campaign, beginning in Chichester, West Sussex. Mr Stanley sold the original Tintanic for £480, which he donated to the orphanage, and built Tintanic II, which he will use for the final time this funds raised in his final challenge will be donated to the St Wilfrid's Hospice, based in Chichester. During his rowing challenges across England, Scotland and Wales, Mr Stanley has met the King and the Prime Minister, but said the time had come to call it a day."My wife isn't too keen on travelling with the boat in the car and I'm starting to run out of ideas," he said."It's been a fantastic way of passing the time, but it's the people that have made it so special."The Duke of Richmond will be launching Tintanic II from the Chichester Yacht Club, in Birdham, at 11:00 BST on Stanley will leave the pontoon at 11:45 and is to row a short distance to get a few more miles under his belt, before taking on a series of rows later this said he expected to do more than 500 miles and was even planning to row along the entire northern coast of the Isle of Wight.
