We wouldn't be who we are today without our ships. The current Rainbow Warrior and her predecessor of the same name have been at the heart and soul of our campaigning for over 30 years.
On issue after issue - nuclear tests, whaling, over-fishing, climate change, rainforest destruction, dumping of radioactive waste at sea and many more - the Rainbow Warrior has been there and allowed us to collect evidence, expose environmental crimes and shame governments and companies into taking action.
Unfortunately the ship is coming to the end of her useful life and we urgently need your help to replace her. The Rainbow Warrior II was already 31 years old when we bought it and refitted the ship for environmental campaigning back in1989, as a replacement for the first Rainbow Warrior which was destroyed by a bomb in New Zealand in 1985.
Since then she has been rammed, boarded, impounded and shot at, and has been through much more than the average ship. She is spending more and more time in dry dock for repairs, which means we cannot deliver our campaigns. To be honest, she has had her day and she urgently needs to be replaced.
We passionately believe that the Rainbow Warrior is too important to lose. That is why we made the decision to commission a replacement - not a converted trawler or fishing vessel like her two predecessors, a vessel which is purpose-built for campaigning and will also be an example of environmentally conscious ship building. But we can't do it on our own.
It is a huge act of faith in the future of Greenpeace because the new ship will cost £17.5 million to build, but we believe it's an important investment in the future of our planet.
In the UK, our contribution to the cost of the new ship is £450,000. Our incredibly generous supporters have already given over £100,000 towards this target, but this still leaves us a further £350,000 to raise and we need your help to achieve our goal.
The Rainbow Warrior has always been an icon of Greenpeace, but since launching this appeal I've been truly inspired by the reaction she has provoked from our supporters. The donors understand how vital the ship is to our work, and not only have they responded with donations, many people have given us moving words of support and personal accounts of how important the ship is to them.
Their generosity and passion reaffirm my belief that this appeal is truly an opportunity of a lifetime. To build a new Rainbow Warrior will mean giving our children and grandchildren a powerful tool to help them defend the world they live in. Please be a part of this and make a donation today. Thank you.
