RNLI receives £2500 to digitise records in the charity’s archive

The money will be used to catalogue and digitise records in the charity’s archive relating to its patrons from 1824 to the present day.

These records include letters, photographs and other documents which will aid our understanding of the important role of patron and enable us to celebrate, preserve and make available details of this important part of our heritage.

The Patron’s Fund is a charitable fund that was set up to acknowledge the work of charitable organisations for which Her Majesty The Queen acts as a patron, on the occasion of her 90th birthday last year.

As Queen Elizabeth II has been the RNLI’s Patron since 1952, the charity was able to apply for funding.

RNLI Heritage Archive and Research Manager Hayley Whiting said: “The RNLI has had a Royal patron since its foundation in 1824. Royal connections go back even further with Sir William Hillary, founder of the RNLI, having been equerry to Prince Augustus Frederick, son of George III.

“The gift from the Patron’s Fund will enable the Heritage Team to make the important and fascinating archive records relating to our patrons widely available and to preserve them for future generations. The gift from the Patron’s Fund makes an important contribution to the development of the RNLI Archive.”

Around £750,000 was made available through the Fund, money that was generously donated from a range of supporters and from the profits from the Patron’s Lunch event held on The Mall. The money has been shared equally between almost 300 successful applicants from the UK and the Commonwealth.

Sir Stuart Etherington, Chair of The Board of Trustees for The Patron’s Fund, said: “The Patron’s Fund is very pleased to be able to support the RNLI with its valuable work. The RNLI is among hundreds of organisations for which The Queen acts as a Patron, which between them make a difference to causes and communities in the UK and throughout the Commonwealth.”

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.