RNLI Deputy Director, Ray Kipling, recently received a letter and some photographs from Fernando Andrade, secretary of the Uruguayan lifeboat service ADES. The picture above shows the Montevideo station lifeboat ADES 14, formerly RNLI Solent class lifeboat City of Birmingham, going to the aid of a sinking vessel.

The ADES, founded in 1955, has a small number of part time paid staff and receives some money from the government.

The volunteer crews currently operate three ex-RNLI lifeboats from three stations around the coast..