Donate now
RNLI beach lifeguard Tom Allabarton reaches over the side of an inshore rescue boat to grab a casualty. He is wearing a white RNLI helmet and red and black lifeguard wetsuit. It's a bright sunny day with clear skies and blue seas.

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea

Powered by the kindness of people like you

Keep you and your loved ones safe during the heatwave. If you get into trouble in the water, remember: Float to Live

Float to Live
lifeguard on the lookout at the beach

Find your nearest lifeguarded beach

Find your nearest beach
Photo of a busy beach in Boscombe during the summer lifeguard season.

Stay safe at the beach

How to keep safe

The RNLI's lifesaving mission

Anyone can drown. No one should. Here’s how we’re working to save lives right now:

Aerial drone shot of St Marys Severn class all-weather lifeboat The Whiteheads 17-11 at sea.

Lifeboats

Our lifeboat crews are ready to launch to the rescue 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Whenever the call comes in, they are ready to answer.
A female lifeguard wearing a helmet, buoyancy aid and wetsuit rides a rescue watercraft across grey seas. She reaches out towards a casualty off screen.

Lifeguards

Our lifeguards keep thousands of people safe at the coast every summer. They share beach safety advice - and are ready to rescue if needed.
Simulation of a man drowning incident. Casualty is waving to lifeguards for help.

Water safety

Our water safety teams share advice with people of all ages, to help keep them safe.
Faisal (11) and Jamal (18) fish on the floodwaters after a monsoon. Cox s Bazar. Bangladesh. One inch of water international project.

International

Our international teams work with communities most at risk from drowning to share expertise and advice on how to keep people safe from harm.
Portrait of volunteer Sam Smith
It’s truly a huge privilege to be a part of the crew making a real difference in someone's darkest hour
Sam Smith, volunteer crew member at Newhaven RNLI
Send support
Navy blue donate icon with hand holding a coin

Help save lives at sea and keep RNLI lifesavers ready to rescue

Donate now
Get involved
Navy blue lifeboat crew helmet icon

Find out how you can use your skills, energy and time to support our lifesaving work

Help save lives
Stay safe
Navy blue lifebuoy icon

Learn how to keep you and your loved ones safe in the water with our expert advice

Safety tips

For every £1/€1 donated

RNLI/Nigel Millard

54p/54c helps equip volunteers with the lifeboats, lifeboat stations and rescue equipment they need to save lives at sea quickly, safely and effectively.
28p/28c helps us run our 24-hour lifeboat search and rescue service to save those in trouble at sea.
12p/12c helps our lifeguards prevent accidents before they happen and respond instantly when they do.
4p/4c helps our volunteers educate, raise awareness and keep people safe.
2p/2c helps towards international drowning prevention.
Data taken from 2024 figures

How your donations save lives

Our lifesavers rely on the kindness of people like you to provide everything they need - because the RNLI is a charity independent of the government.

Stories featuring RNLI lifesavers

All stories
An aerial view of the two islands at Mumbles Head, showing a lighthouse situated on the more remote island. The Mumbles RNLI Lifeboat Station is in the background. Photo: Shutterstock.

Samuel’s story: ‘I had been about to die’

When a holidaymaker found himself fighting a losing battle at Mumbles Head, Swansea, his hopes rested with an off-duty but eagle-eyed lifeboat volunteer.
Read more
Four volunteer lifeboat crew members – two fathers and their sons – standing in crew kit in front of an all-weather lifeboat at the RNLI College in Poole, Dorset. Photo: RNLI/Charlotte Hill.

Two dads. Two sons. One Crew.

Jake Coombes and Rhys Jones are two young RNLI lifesavers who are proudly following in the footsteps of their lifesaving fathers - and training to be the inspiration for future generations.
Read more
A portrait of Euan, who was rescued by the RNLI, sitting at the beach. He’s staring directly at the camera. Photo: RNLI/James Moffatt.

'It was like trying to swim on a treadmill': Euan's story

An all-weather lifeboat at sea travelling from right to left, with a white motorboat in the background giving off plumes of black smoke.

Volunteers save trapped sailors from burning boat

A nighttime image of a B class lifeboat and a D class lifeboat floating on the water next to an incident at the base of some cliffs. A spotlight illuminates HM Coastguard volunteers in bright orange jumpsuits as they tend to a casualty.

‘I felt my back break when I hit the ground’

Shop to save lives

Browse gifts, clothing, homewares and more – 100% of the money you spend with the RNLI helps save lives at sea.

Shop more on RNLI shop
RS2647901VAR RNLI Lifeguards Beach Bag
RNLI Lifeguards Beach Bag
£15.00
RNLI Lifeguard Bear
RNLI Lifeguards Bear
£12.00
RNLI Lifeguards Unisex T-Shirt, Blue
RNLI Lifeguards Unisex T-Shirt, Blue
£22.00
A planter in the shape of a pair of RNLI lifeboat crew wellies in yellow and navy.
RNLI Yellow Welly Garden Planter, Large
£25.00
Yellow Welly Umbrella
Yellow Welly Umbrella
£12.00
RNLI Coast to Coast Women’s T-Shirt, Blue
RNLI Coast to Coast Women’s T-Shirt, Blue
£18.00
Dirty Dog sunglasses with black frames and blue lenses.
Dirty Dog Axle Polarised Sunglasses, Black/Blue
£45.00
Between the Chalk and the Sea Book
Between the Chalk and the Sea Book
£12.99
Corgi RNLI Shannon Class Lifeboat Diecast 1:136
Corgi RNLI Shannon Class Lifeboat Diecast Model 1:136
£12.00
Blue shopping bag.

View the collection

Latest lifeboat launches

Latest launches

In an emergency at the coast, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.

Black and white photo of Cromer lifeboat station's launch ramp with wooden boat.

Our lifesaving heritage

Since 1824, the RNLI has been saving lives at sea. Take a look back at some of the stories of courage from our archive.
Our history