A Maxi Mini Adventure

Round Britain for the RNLI

"Oh no I don’t sail," chuckles Stevie Mann. "I get sea sick on an escalator." If it's not a love of the water, what has inspired Mann's epic 4,279 mile, 41 day journey round the British Coast in his 1989, 998cc Mini to raise £30,000 to buy a lifeboat for the RNLI?

Mann explains: the RNLI is predominantly staffed by volunteers, it provides essential lifesaving services and relies on donations. Travelling six days a week around the coast of Britain, Mann aims to visit 165 lifeboat stations, spending half an hour in every one.

Mann is a Mini fanatic, which motivated him to undertake the trip. His journey has attracted much support from within the Mini community. Mini clubs have joined Mann to travel for legs of the trip in convoy. Other Mini drivers have helped with sponsorship. Before the trip, £1 sponsorship bought a sticker and an opportunity to sign the roof of Mann’s car. He describes his car roof as 'cluttered with signatures'; a patchwork of support to encourage him on his way.

Mann’s trip has been free of serious incident thus far: the Mini has had no mechanical problems, and Mann almost avoided midges in Scotland. "They were like snow on Christmas Day," he says. "More than you could possibly hope for." He has been sleeping in his car while on the road, making the vehicle slightly more comfortable by adding curtains and adjusting the back seats. "I’m 5ft 10’," he says. "And sleeping in a Mini I wish I was 5ft 8’."

Incredibly, he's not yet tired of driving either. "I have my music to keep me going. And 100 miles of single-track road round the North West coast of Scotland; it doesn’t really get much better than that." 

If you would like to support Mann or want to find out more, visit:
http://stevie-mann.com/mini-rnli/