Nine volunteers will attempt to push a two-tonne lifeboat around nine miles of London‘s streets later today.

The team from law firm Charles Russell are trying to fund a new lifeboat for the RNLI on the Thames as part of the Brawn Lifeboat Challenge.

They will push the lifeboat from the RNLI’s Tower Lifeboat Station to Chiswick Lifeboat Station, who will share the new E class lifeboat between them.

The team is Ian Lynam, Kelly Hutchins, Claire Curtis, Laurence Holdcroft, Paul Shapiro, Hamish Corner, Jon Walters, Tom Smitham and Charlie Marlow, who finished third in last year’s Atlantic Rowing Race.

The Brawn Lifeboat Challenge, headed by Formula 1 team boss Ross Brawn, involves 10 teams competing to raise as much money as possible for the new London lifeboat.

Mike Scott, head of the Charles Russell team and deputy senior partner, said: ‘The Charles Russell team thought that the most fitting way to help raise funds and awareness for the fantastic work that the RNLI does day in, day out, would be to roll up our sleeves and push a lifeboat through the streets of London.

‘As it has never been done before, we hope the enormity of the challenge will encourage generous donations.’

To donate to the boat push visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/brawnlifeboatchallenge.

Subscribe to Yachting Monthly magazine for all the latest sailing news and reviews