Mother’s Day: Thanking the RNLI Mums Saving Lives at Sea

The RNLI relies on thousands of volunteers and many of them are mothers balancing family life with being ready to respond when the pager sounds. At Teddington RNLI, they play a vital role, serving in a variety of roles including lifeboat crew, shore crew, fundraisers, and water safety volunteers. This Mother’s Day, volunteer mums could be called away at any time to answer the call for help.

Matt Allchurch, Lifeboat Operations Manager said, ‘All of our volunteers are incredible. Whether they are answering the pager to launch the lifeboat, supporting operations on shore, part of the crew onboard or helping raise vital funds, they are a huge part of our lifesaving team. This Mother’s Day we want to recognise and thank them for everything they do.’

For many RNLI volunteers, being ‘a mum on call’ means juggling family life with the commitment to be ready to help others in danger in the water at any hour of the day or night.

Claire Price joined as a lifeboat crew member four years ago. One of her sons said, ‘I am so proud of my mum giving up her time to help someone in trouble on the River Thames, it is also great to see her and the other crew on the lifeboat.’

Claire is one of the 97% of the RNLI’s 8,000 frontline plus crew who are volunteers. Selflessly giving up their time, they respond to thousands of calls annually around the coast and inland waters of the UK and Ireland.

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Did you know:

· All of the crew at Teddington RNLI are volunteers

· About thirty men and women are active crew members

· About sixty people volunteer at the station

· The RNLI is a charity and receives no government funding

· The RNLI lifeboat stations ont eh Thames will celebrate 25 years next year

· Supporting your local RNLI station is as easy as visiting on the Open Day.

RNLI media contacts

For more information please telephone Gianna Saccomani, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07798905515 or [email protected] or Grace Palmieri, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07855487508 or [email protected].

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, 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.