A new lifeboat will be launched this weekend thanks to an unlikely union of gin-quaffing graduates.

The Campaign for Real Gin was established in 1978 by a group of students at Cambridge University and, every year, the proceeds of an annual summer garden party are given to charity.

In 1999, the campaign decided to raise money for the RNLI to celebrate its 21st anniversary.

A Juniper Ball was held at the Merchant Taylor's Hall and enough money was raised to buy a new 1B1-class inflatable inshore vessel.

It has been donated to Littlehampton RNLI and The Spirit of Juniper will be officially named by campaign chairman Nick Ellis during a ceremony at the station on Saturday at 11.30am.

Mr Ellis said: "It is a great honour to be naming this lifeboat and to know all the money we raised is going to such a worthy cause."

A service of dedication will be held by the Rector of St Mary's-Le-Bow, George Bush, who is also the campaign's chaplain.

Littlehampton lifeboat operations manager John Jones said: "We are extremely grateful to the Campaign for Real Gin for its generosity."