About us

What does RNLI stand for?

RNLI stands for Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

What does RNLI mean?

The RNLI was actually founded as the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Lives and Property from Shipwreck in 1824. Thirty years later in 1854, we changed our name to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution - the RNLI - as we are known today.

Having Royal patronage gives gravitas to our cause and is something we’re incredibly proud of and thankful for.

It was our founder, Sir William Hillary’s, aim to provide a 24/7 search and rescue lifeboat service run, where possible, by volunteers and funded by voluntary donations.

Although the service was to be a national service to protect the coasts of the UK and Ireland, Hillary’s vision was to ‘extend its beneficial effects to the most distant shores, and to generations yet unborn.’

Who are the RNLI?

We are a charity founded upon and driven by our values of selflessness, courage, dependability and trustworthiness, with volunteers at our heart. Values shared by generations of supporters like you who have powered our lifesaving work through your kindness and generosity for almost 200 years.

Volunteers make up 95% of our organisation - ordinary people doing extraordinary things - supported by expert staff, all working together to help communities at home and abroad save lives.

What is the RNLI?

With our wealth of experience and expertise, we are proud to be a world-leading modern emergency service, separate from the coastguard and independent from government.

What do the RNLI do?

Every day of every year, people of all backgrounds get into danger in the water. It’s a problem that we’re here to tackle.

Today, with your support, we are working harder than ever to end preventable drowning. In addition to our 24/7 search and rescue lifeboat service, we operate a seasonal lifeguard service. Every year, our volunteer lifeboat crews and lifeguards help and rescue thousands of people and have saved over 143,000 lives since 1824. Countless more lives are saved through our youth education and water safety work.

In an ideal world, no one would suffer the devastating loss of a loved one to drowning. We’d reach everyone with our water safety advice. If anyone got into trouble, they’d know what to do until help arrived. And our lifesavers would always have everything they need to reach them in time and save lives.

With you by our side, we can move closer to this world. And right now, with our income falling during one of the toughest times the world has ever faced, we need your help more than ever.

Bring the crew home safe

Nothing could have prepared our volunteers for the pandemic. But they kept on answering the call to rescue, 24/7, ready and willing to launch to the rescue. Now they need your help. To bring hope to the brave volunteers who give up so much to save others.

When the coronavirus struck, training courses were cancelled. Planned lifeboat maintenance was delayed. But still the calls for help kept coming. Wear and tear on kit and equipment carried on. Your kindness will keep us ready, for when we’re needed most. 

Please donate to our emergency appeal and give our crews hope. Your kind gift, no matter how much, will help to keep our volunteer lifeboat crews trained and equipped to launch and save lives. Give them the gift of hope this spring. Thank you.