The Charity that saves lives at sea.

The RNLI provides an on call, 24-hour lifeboat search and rescue service to 100 nautical miles out from the coast of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. This emergency cover is provided by over 230 strategically placed lifeboat stations operated by 4,800 crew members, of which 95% are volunteers.

These volunteer crew members readily exchange leisure, comfort and sleep for cold, wet and fatigue. Their lifesaving work is essential, often difficult and sometimes dangerous. Lifeboat launches wouldn’t be possible without ordinary people giving up their time and money to help save lives at sea. That’s because, as a charity, the RNLI relies on voluntary contributions to meet the cost of equipment, lifeboats and training.

Since the charity was founded in 1824, lifeboat crews have saved more than 137,000 lives, an average of 22 people a day. The RNLI also provides a seasonal lifeguard service on over 100 beaches in Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Norfolk and Pembrokeshire and has plans to double the size of this service over the next five years throughout the UK.

Our work is as vital today as it was over 180 years ago. As an island nation we are never far from water.  Any person living in the UK, at some point, could need the RNLI.

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea.

Registered in England and Wales (209603) and Scotland (SCO37736). Charity number CHY 2678 in the Republic of Ireland.