Lifeboat Fund's 2014 Appeal Announced

The Lifeboat Fund is delighted to announce its 2014 Appeal - once more it's all about crew safety. 

Last year we fundraised to kit-out crew volunteers with the equipment and clothing they need to go on ‘a shout’.  Soon we hope to announce how much was raised in 2013; the signs are we shall be able to kit-out a crew member at every single UK lifeboat station!  Massive thanks will be due to our supporters if we can make that a reality.

In 2014 we shall focus on the vital and rigorous training every crew member requires to be able to save lives at sea, and in the kind of flooding and storm conditions witnessed lately.   

Our 2014 goal is to donate £250,000 to help support the average training costs of a crew member at every lifeboat station in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Each year, our coastal waters become busier and more people find themselves in danger at sea.  2013 saw the RNLI lifeboat crews’ busiest Summer in 24 years – over June to August, RNLI lifeboats launched over 4,300 times.

As the RNLI says, “Training turns a volunteer from someone who is willing to save lives into someone who can do it well and safely.  We train one, we save many.”  Only one in ten crew members joins the RNLI from a maritime occupation, so a full range of training is needed from navigation to search and rescue, from being able to repair a lifeboat engine at sea to resuscitating a casualty in danger.  These volunteers deserve the best training when putting their lives at risk to save others.

In the next few weeks, Supporters’ Packs for The Lifeboat Fund’s 2014 Appeal will be sent to our volunteers and available on this website.  The RNLI is collaborating in the production of these, to give you the best help possible for successful fundraising.

If you wish to discuss your plans meantime, or to know more, please contact charity Secretary, Angela Saunders on 0131 244 8488.

Please help us train the crews to save lives and stay safe themselves.