{
  "id": 8050116,
  "title": "'When we started planning the ride, we were on 530' – RNLI volunteers from London are cycling 540km, one kilometre for every life they’ve saved",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/when-we-started-planning-the-ride-we-were-on-530-rnli-volunteers-from",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-17T13:23:37.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Cycling Weekly",
    "slug": "cycling-weekly",
    "url": "https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/rnli-volunteers-from-london-are-cycling-540km-one-kilometre-for-every-life-theyve-saved"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Starting next week, eight Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) volunteers from Tower Lifeboat Station in London will cycle 540km to raise money for the charity. Each kilometre represents a life saved on the Thames since the station's establishment in 2002. The ride will take place from the charity's headquarters in Poole to Lifeboat Pier in London, passing through Cowes on the Isle of Wight, Littlehampton, Dungeness, Walmer and Whitstable. Additional riders will join the core group for specific legs of the journey. After recent safety concerns, the cyclists will not wear RNLI gear during the ride and may adjust the route. Tower RNLI is the busiest lifeboat station in the UK, responding to over 600 calls annually. The group aims to raise £10,000 to support training and equipment costs for new lifesavers. Tower RNLI volunteer Nick Harding, who will complete the 540km ride, plans to cycle with a variety of bikes, including a Brompton and a Cinelli gravel bike. The idea for the ride originated from a conversation in a pub during the Tower's Christmas party last year.",
  "summary": "Riding a range of bikes, sometimes while wearing rescue equipment, the group will cycle from Poole in Dorset to Lifeboat Pier in London",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}