Over the past year Boatshed has been involved in various community projects.

  • From sponsorship of Dartmouth Royal Regatta Sailing Week
  • To sponsoring and throwing ourselves into the fun and events of Alderney Week.
  • A few of the team even donned their running gear and took part in Southsea's Race for Life.

The one community project that was close to all of our hearts was when we were approached to help Gosport and Farnham Inshore Lifeboat station (GAFIRS) sell one of their vessels.

GAFIRS was founded in 1969 and provides emergency lifeboat services in the Solent and Portsmouth Harbour. Crews are on call-out 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and in all weathers. On average GAFIRS responds to some 140 emergency lifesaving calls per year.

GAFIRS has been using the boat named "David Brading" since 1993 and they approached Boatshed to try and find a suitable client to purchase the vessel.

Within 22 days of applying the standard Boatshed selling process, a new buyer had been secured we were happy to announce that it was a similar organisation to the Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service, but based on the East Coast of the UK. The David Brading will be continuing her work to save lives.

Members of the crew and supporters of Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service attended a ceremony to say farewell to the David Brading. She was rolled out the the boathouse for a final time to a nice sunset and little ceremony that included a blessing by the Reverend Philip Hiscock.

Members of the Boatshed team were in attendance. Boatshed supplied their full brokerage service to GAFIRS Free of Charge and are always proud to support this great cause.

We are looking forward to a fun year where different members of the Boatshed family will be involved in various activities in the community.

Marie Parton, Boatshed Broadcaster