The Communications and Public Service Lifeboat Fund (The Lifeboat Fund, for short) is proud to be the single largest regular contributor to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the charity that saves lives at sea.  The Fund is registered with the official regulators as a charity which fundraises throughout the UK.

The Fund was formed in 1866 by civil servants who wanted to donate and now, in the 21 century, its mission continues, to ensure there is a source of help for those who find themselves in situations of panic and distress in the UK’s coastal waters.  Often, their only source of help is the courageous and selfless body of RNLI volunteers, always ready to respond to ‘shouts’ in any weather and all times of the day and night.  Sometimes, they owe their lives to them.

All money raised by The Fund goes directly to support the RNLI. We are by far its largest contributor. Since it was formed, The Lifeboat Fund has provided the RNLI with 52 new lifeboats and lots of other assistance.  The RNLI survives solely on voluntary contributions and legacies.  So it needs our help to maintain over 330 lifeboats in its active fleet, working out of 235 lifeboat stations.  In each of 2009 and 2010, the volunteer crews rescued well over 8,000 people – an average of 22 every single day.  

The Lifeboat Fund is an official charity of the Civil Service, the Royal Mail and British Telecom.  It benefits from giving by serving and retired employees and from legacies.  Civil servants the length and breadth of the UK organise fundraising collections and promote the lifesaving work of the RNLI.  Our Patron is HRH the Duke of Kent.

HISTORY OF THE FUND
Since The Lifeboat Fund was founded, its support has been a major asset to the RNLI.  It has purchased 52 new lifeboats and helped refurbish a new lifeboat station on the River Thames. Its lifeboats have saved over 4,700 lives.

How did this come about?
Back in 1886, a group of civil servants met and determined to present a lifeboat to the RNLI. They issued an appeal to government offices asking for a total of £300.  Within the year, they had raised it, and bought the lifeboat, “Civil Service" - propelled by 10 oars, and saving 122 lives and three vessels in her 12 years of service.  

The Fund's second motorised lifeboat, the "Lord Southborough” deserves a special mention. Taking over at Margate in 1925, she was to join the armada of little ships which in 1940 played a critical role in the mass evacuation of Allied troops from Dunkirk during WWII - with her volunteer crew sailing under enemy fire.

From 2006 to 2010, the total number of people rescued by boats bought by The Fund was well over 1,080. For more information about The Fund’s lifeboats in the current RNLI fleet, please read our latest Annual Report.  

"A History of The Fund and its Lifeboats" (written by Leslie G Fawkes, Tony Barker and Jeff Morris) was published in 1991, at the time  of the charity's 125th anniversary.  This interesting archive/publication has been digitised for the website, by the National Library of Scotland.  Our Patron, HRH The Duke of Kent, included these words in his message at the start of the booklet (writing as President of the RNLI):

"The staff of the Civil Service, Post Office and British Telecom hold a unique record of support for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. ... I should like to offer my most sincere thanks to ... the Fund for their constant help which I know is deeply appreciated by our lifeboat crews.  Whatever happens in the future, there will always be lives to save at sea."

The work of those the civil servants who started The Fund is now taken forward by its executive committee, chaired by Sir Peter Housden, Permanent Secretary of the Scottish Government.  For more information about who administers The Fund, please read here our latest Annual Report - page 14, onwards.  Page 31 summarises the sources of funds raised in 2010.  The 2011 AGM minutes can be read from page 32, onwards.

The name of our charity

The committee of Civil Servants who raised funds for the first lifeboat in 1866 formed the Civil Service Lifeboat Fund. This later became the Civil Service, Post Office and British Telecommunications Lifeboat Fund (CISPOTEL).

The title of the Fund was changed in 1969 when the Post Office left the Civil Service - and again in 1983 when BT did likewise.  In 2002 when the Post Office changed its name to Consignia, the Fund changed its title to The Communications and Public Service Lifeboat Fund or The Lifeboat Fund, for short.  (Consignia was renamed Royal Mail but no further change was made to the name of The Lifeboat Fund.)