As a sailor in UK waters it is sometimes easy to forget just what an extraordinary institution the RNLI is. The fact that this massive network of lifeboats and lifesavers are on hand 24/7 is somehow easy to take for granted. It is only when we are confronted with disaster that their true worth is shown. In 1979, for example, yachtsmen and women were reminded in the most shocking fashion just what a vital role they play in ensuring that help is at hand when the very worst happens.
As the oldest lifesaving charity in the world still in existence, the RNLI has a rich and storied history, taking in triumph, heroism and tragedy along the way. It is worth remembering that all the crews are volunteers who give up their own time to put themselves in the position to save lives – often demonstrating extraordinary seamanship along the way. This is also a charity funded entirely by the donations from the general public. Thus, the RNLI is an institution we should all be proud of as a nation and it is for that reason that we chose the charity to be our Charity of the Year for 2024.
Founded in a London tavern on 4 March 1824 following an appeal from Sir William Hillary, who lived on the Isle of Man and witnessed many shipwrecks, the RNLI has continued saving lives at sea throughout the tests of its history, including
