The RNLI saves lives at sea - Every day of every year, people of all backgrounds get into danger in the water, it’s a problem that they’re
here to tackle. Working together with partners and communities, they aim to educate, influence, supervise and rescue those at risk from drowning. RNLI are separate from the Coastguard, independent of the Government and rely on our volunteers and supporters to run their lifesaving service. The RNLI philosophy remains the same as it was in 1824: to provide their lifesaving service using volunteers wherever possible, with voluntary donations supplying the funds
needed to do so. They save lives by providing a 24-hour lifeboat search and rescue service, seasonal lifeguards, water safety education and initiatives, and flood rescue response. 

It cost £168.1M in 2015 to run their lifesaving service –
all funded by our generous supporters. Keeping a modern fleet of lifeboats ever-ready to go to the rescue from over 237 lifeboat stations is an expensive business. Add to that crew training, running a lifeguard service on more than 220 popular beaches and campaigning for water safety, and the pounds start to add up. It cost around £460,000 a day in 2015 to run the RNLI, all of which was generously donated by the public. This might sound like a lot, but the 22 people their lifeboat crews rescue on average every day are worth it.

RNLI lifeboat crews protect hundreds of communities around
the UK and Republic of Ireland through our 24-hour search and rescue service.  To do so, they rely on the safest, most reliable lifeboats and modern stations to launch from. RNLI lifeguards patrol over 230 beaches across the UK and Channel Islands. 

In 2015, they aided 18,181 people and saved 94 lives. Their aim is to expand our lifesaving service so we can provide seasonal patrols to all regions that need cover on their beaches. Drowning is a silent epidemic. It claims an estimated 372,000 lives worldwide each year, over one-third of which are children.  The RNLI is working in partnership with others to make drowning a global priority - and to provide at-risk communities with the knowledge, equipment and skills they need to reduce this staggering loss of life.

In addition, the RNLI Flood Rescue Team is always ready to
carry out search and rescue operations wherever severe flooding puts lives at risk.

A large proportion of the Channel Nutters’ training is
taking place down at Durley beach (near Bournemouth) where the RNLI provide much welcomed reassurance and safety support during swims.

https://rnli.org/