Next weekend, an RNLI charity bike ride will be passing through Tenby, Angle, Little Haven, St Davids and Fishguard in memory of Audrey Lawson Johnston.

Audrey was the youngest survivor of the Lusitania disaster and a lifelong RNLI fundraiser, next weekend her family are commemorating her legacy with ‘Audrey’s Farewell’ charity bike ride to raise vital funds for both New Quay and Tower RNLI Lifeboat Stations.

Leaving Swansea on Friday 8 September 2023, more than 20 cyclists will ride 190 gruelling miles across the coastline of south-west Wales to raise money for the RNLI, in memory of Audrey Lawson Johnston.

The peloton of riders will aim to complete the journey in just 72 hours in a bid to raise £25,000 to be split between two RNLI lifeboat stations; New Quay in west Wales and Tower – the RNLI’s busiest lifeboat station situated on the River Thames in London.

Audrey Lawson Johnston was just three months old when she was pulled into a lifeboat during the Lusitania disaster on 15 May 1915. The ship that was travelling from New York to Liverpool, had been hit by German torpedoes and quickly sank off the Old Head of Kinsale with 1,195 lives lost. While Audrey’s parents and brother survived, she lost her sisters Amy and Susan in the sinking.

Audrey supported the RNLI throughout her life and was relentless in her fundraising efforts for the lifeboats. Alongside her brother, the pair raised money for a new lifeboat at New Quay RNLI named the Amy Lea after their mother, that went on service in 2004.

Audrey passed away in 2011 and when the Amy Lea lifeboat retired the following year, Audrey’s family continued her fundraising legacy by raising enough money to fund New Quay’s current inshore lifeboat the Audrey LJ.

Now the Audrey LJ is coming to the end of its operational life and will be retired at the end of this year. Since 2012 the lifeboat has launched 188 times, aided 150 people and saved the lives of six people. The station’s current all-weather lifeboat the Frank and Lena Clifford of Stourbridge will also retire in the next few weeks having served since 1991.

New Quay RNLI are currently trying to raise £105,600 through the New Quay Lifeboat Appeal, to train the volunteer crew to get to grips with their new Shannon all-weather lifeboat, which arrived in June this year and will replace the Frank and Lena Clifford of Stourbridge. The appeal funds are also going towards the transport of the launch equipment that will power the Shannon to rescue, saving lives for years to come.

Half of the total funds raised for ‘Audrey’s Farewell’ bike ride will go directly towards the New Quay Lifeboat Appeal. Inspired by their granny, four of Audrey’s grandchildren are taking part in the charity ride. Mark Hudson is one of them and is the lead event organiser, he said:

“My granny was an absolute trailblazer and did so much in her life to raise money for the RNLI. After serving the Ceredigion community for 10 years, The Audrey LJ will be retired and this bike ride is a tribute to both the lifeboat and Audrey herself, the wonderful story of someone who was saved from drowning at sea, who dedicated her life to help the RNLI to do the same for others.’

“I can’t think of a more noble thing than volunteering and risking your own life to help others that are in danger. I want to raise as much money as possible so the volunteer lifeboat crews can to continue their lifesaving work.”

The route will take the cyclists across the Gower and up to Carmarthen, it then follows the coast route through to St. Davids before arriving at New Quay on Sunday, September 10.

Along the way the cyclists will be stopping off at all 10 RNLI lifeboat stations including The Mumbles, Horton, Burry Port, Tenby, Angle, Little Haven, St. Davids, Fishguard, Cardigan and New Quay.

Below is a rough schedule for the ride: Audrey’s Farewell / RNLI Tour De Dyfed

New Quay RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, Roger Couch, said:

“Audrey was a remarkable woman who did so much for the RNLI and selflessly helped others. Her family have continued her lifesaving legacy through their dedicated fundraising and we are so grateful to them all for their efforts over the last almost two decades.

“They have undoubtedly saved many lives through the money they’ve raised and have touched the lives of hundreds of families.”

To support and donate – please visit the event JustGiving page. You can follow updates from the riders during the tour by following #AudreysFarewell #TourDeDyfed across social media.

 The charity bike ride, known as ‘The Tour de Dyfed & West Glamorgan’ / ‘Audrey’s Farewell’ is sponsored by Oxford Innovation Space, RatesMate, Cyclefit Store Street, Karma Drinks, Gower Brewery and Princes Gate.