Hi!

On the 30th of July I will be taking part in the Virgin Active London Triathlon. Taking place in the Docklands this is going to be an uncomfortable experience to say the least. I'll be doing the Sprint event (yes this fat man can move quickly with the right incentive £££) which consists of a 750m swim, 20km bike ride followed by a 5km run.

So, why am I doing this?  

I've always been a strong charity supporter but it's been a long time since I've actively done something proper about it.

I've chosen the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) as the charity I would like to benefit from my endeavours. They are a great charity whose stickers have lived on the windows of most O'Hanlon cars. My Grandfather was an avid supporter during his time and I think it's an extremely worthy cause.

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Providing a 24 hour lifeboat search and rescue service around the coasts of the UK and Republic of Ireland, as well as a seasonal lifeguard service on many of the busiest beaches in England and Wales. Volunteers are at the heart of the RNLI, relying on more than 40,000 volunteers, they are an independent charity receiving no funding from the UK government - without our support they can't save lives at sea. In 2010 lifeboats were launched on service 8,713 times, rescuing 8,313 people and saving 309 lives. On the beaches in 2010 lifeguards attended 16,664 incidents saving 107 lives.

So the next time you're in Cornwall surfing or in the Solent sailing you'll be pleased to know they are there should anything go wrong. Please give generously, myself and the RNLI really appreciate it!

Thanks, Pete