Army veteran, 84, begins final Tintanic II mission

A retired army major is hanging up his oars after rowing nearly 500 miles in homemade tin boats for charity – but not before one final challenge.

Michael Stanley, known as Major Mick, first took to the seas and rivers of southern England on his boat, dubbed Tintanic, to raise money for a Ukrainian orphanage in 2020.

He said the orphanage is closing as the majority of children had been rehoused with their extended families and the few remaining were being taken into the Romanian care system.

The 84-year-old, who has so far raised £88,000 by rowing 480 miles, set off from Chichester Yacht Club on Friday as he begins his final year of fundraising with hopes of reaching £100,000 and 500 miles.

Mr Stanley sold the original Tintanic for £480, which he donated to the orphanage, and built Tintanic II, which he will use for the final time this year.

The funds raised in his final challenge will be donated to St Wilfrid's Hospice, based in Chichester.

During his rowing challenges across England, Scotland and Wales, Mr Stanley has met the King and the prime minister, but said the time had come to call it a day.

"My wife isn't too keen on travelling with the boat in the car and I'm starting to run out of ideas," he said.

"It's been a fantastic way of passing the time, but it's the people that have made it so special."

The Duke of Richmond launched Tintanic II from the Chichester Yacht Club, in Birdham, at 11:00 BST on Friday.

Mr Stanley left the pontoon at 11:45 and rowed a short distance to get a few more miles under his belt, before taking on a series of rows later this year.

He said he expected to do more than 500 miles and was even planning to row along the entire northern coast of the Isle of Wight.

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