A group of 12 members in 6 MGs gathered just outside Chichester on an overcast but dry July morning and had an easy run down to Gosport to visit and enjoy a tour of ‘Gosport And Fareham Inshore Rescue Service’ (GAFIRS) lifeboat station, located in a beautiful location at the head of Southampton Water.

After the visit, members had a marvellous pub lunch at ‘The Shoe Inn’, Exton in the Meon Valley, followed by a scenic run home through The South Downs to Chichester.

Under ‘HM Coastguard’ jurisdiction ‘GAFIRS’ responded to 105 incidents in 2020, launching their two inshore lifeboats from their base at Gosport; assisting 123 people in distress, 7 of whom were life-at-risk.