Tim Jones is aiming to raise £500,000 for the charity that saves lives at sea with pooch Monty, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, by his side.

They will be taking the first steps on their mammoth hike in freezing temperatures tomorrow [Friday 20 January] morning when they leave Exmouth Lifeboat Station in Devon.

Tim hopes to visit all 192 UK lifeboat stations along the way and said: ‘It’s going to be hard work. I’ve done a lot of walking in the past – weeks here and there – but nothing on this scale.

‘I’m not sure how Monty’s going to do just yet, but I don’t think he’ll struggle – he’s got a lot more energy than I have but I’ll just have to take it easy on him and see how he goes.’

Tim has recently fallen on hard times, unable to find work and facing eviction, so he decided to fulfil his dream of walking the coast.

RNLI fundraiser Tim Jones and his dog Monty embark on a round-Britain walk for the charity. Image: RNLI

He said: ‘I’ve wanted to do this walk for a few years and now the time’s just right. It’s a big decision, but it’s motivating me that I’m not just doing it for myself. The fact that I’m raising money for the lifeboats is pushing me to do it.

‘I’ve always loved being by the sea and admired the difficult work of the RNLI, so choosing a charity to support was easy. The fact that its volunteers go out in all conditions to save people is amazing and I just wanted to give something back.’

Tim believes he and Monty could be on the move for up to four years, and packing for such a long trip has proved to be a challenge in itself. Tim said: ‘I’m trying to keep the weight of the pack down, but I’ve struggled.

‘When I first tried it was 30kg but that wouldn’t have worked, so I’ve stripped it back to the bare essentials, and that’s without dog food – and mine!’

RNLI Fundraising Director Jayne George said: ‘The commitment of RNLI supporters never ceases to amaze me, but Tim and his canine companion have taken it to a new level.

‘His challenge to walk 6,000 miles and visit every single lifeboat station en route is brave and inspiring. Thank you, Tim, we are all rooting for you.’

Donate to Tim’s fundraising effort at JustGiving and follow his progress on Facebook.

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