Hi, my name is Paul Weatherill - I'm a member of Watton and District Rotary Club in Norfolk and a keen supporter of the disaster relief charity ShelterBox, founded by a Cornwall Rotary Club in 2000.

What did you do in lockdown?! With the help of an engineer friend I built a tiny dinghy around the iconic green aid box that gives ShelterBox its name and logo. The dinghy has sails and an electric outboard, and of course we call it - ShelterBoat.

ShelterBoat had its maiden voyage in 2021, sailing up the Norfolk Broads to Norwich and raising nearly £2000 for ShelterBox. In 2023 ShelterBoat navigated the River Avon from Shakespeare's Stratford to the River Severn at Tewkesbury, raising over £3500 with the help of Rotary partners and boat clubs, up and down the river.

Now the river calls again, and in July 2024 ShelterBoat will be taking to the River Thames, navigating the 36 miles from Henley to Shepperton Lock over three days - with just the Captain on board. Come back to this page for information and details as the planning unfolds.

ShelterBox is a great cause. Their aim is to ensure that after disaster no-one is left without shelter. They believe that having the essentials - tools, cooking equipment, shelter, warm bedding and so on - is vital for rebuilding hope and keeping communities together. They're currently active in every disaster zone of recent years, from floods in Pakistan to earthquakes in Türkiye, Syria and Morocco - and even in conflict zones such as Ukraine and now Gaza.

Please sponsor ShelterBoat 24 and help us make a difference for some of the world's most desperate and often most forgotten people. Thank you 🙏