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Thank you to our amazing volunteers: Volunteers’ Week 2026

Today (1 June) marks the start of Volunteers’ Week. Volunteers’ Week is an annual UK-wide campaign held to celebrate and recognise the contributions of volunteers.

 

Launched in 1984, this initiative has been running for over 40 years, providing organisations and communities a platform to thank current and past volunteers for their invaluable efforts.

A graphic with images of volunteers and text that reads 'share your thanks with RNLI volunteers'

RNLI

We all know that without our thousands of volunteers, the RNLI would be unable to save lives at sea. From lifeboat and shore crews to press officers, fundraisers and shop and water safety volunteers, every single volunteer role helps the RNLI to continue its lifesaving work. This Volunteers’ Week we’re saying thank you to each and every volunteer who gives their time and energy to the RNLI. (If the video below does not load please watch our specially-created thank-you video here.)

Meet some of our UK volunteers

We caught up with three of our charity’s volunteers to find out what giving their time to the RNLI means to them. Whilst their roles vary greatly, they are all united by a desire to help save lives at sea.

A keen surfer, Steve Taylor got to see first hand the difference made by RNLI lifeguards at his local beach, Rest Bay in South Wales. As a long-term member of the local Lifeguard Club, Steve was already involved with training and assessing lifeguards, training each weekend along with his wife and children. He is now heading into his third year as a volunteer RNLI lifeguard, working alongside full-time lifeguards across the peak season and beyond.

‘As vice-chair of my local lifeguard club I was already very aware of the incredible work the RNLI lifeguards do’, says Steve. ‘Becoming a volunteer lifeguard seemed a great way to widen my skills, and to use the knowledge I’d already gained. I’ll admit there was an element of being competitive too – as a trainer assessor I’d see numerous young people completing their lifeguard training, and wanted to prove that I could do it too in my forties!’

Steve now balances family life and a full-time job with his volunteer role, providing lifeguard cover at weekends, on days off and when the full-time team is short staffed. He’s also taken the opportunity to gain new skills, with additional training in casualty care.

‘I can be a lot more useful with the additional casualty care training’, he says. ‘I intend to carry on volunteering as a lifeguard for as long as I can – It’s such an important role. And swimming against 17 and 18 year olds really gives you a push to keep your fitness up!’

In Silloth, Ruth Carter began volunteering as Lifeboat Administrative Officer just under two years ago. She has since gone on to also take on the role of Lifeboat Station Treasurer, supporting the volunteer crew and station with bills, paperwork and other administrative tasks.

Speaking about her journey to becoming a volunteer, Ruth said: ‘My husband and I always donated to the RNLI on a regular basis. We moved to Silloth around 14 years ago, but at that time I was kept busy with juggling my career and caring responsibilities.

‘Around two years ago I was able to look at giving some time to volunteering, and saw the admin role being advertised on the lifeboat station’s Facebook page. I thought it would be perfect, as I’d had many years working in administrative roles at universities – if I could manage lecturers I thought I would be able to manage lifeboat crew too!’

Ruth paid a visit to the lifeboat station, where she received a warm welcome from the crew.

‘They are a great crowd, an absolutely wonderful group of people’, she continues. ‘They’re all so dedicated. I spend a few hours a week helping to support the station and our Operations Team, doing things like sorting paperwork for new volunteers, acting as a point of contact for queries from the crew, and of course paying the bills. I’m also helping to organise our second Emergency Services Day which will take place in August.’

Giving his time to the RNLI in Kent is Steve Burton. He now volunteers as Treasurer for the Thanet Fundraising group, as well as both Ramsgate and Margate lifeboat stations, but his link to the RNLI goes right back to his childhood.

‘My father had a friend who was on the station committee at Ramsgate’, explains Steve. ‘When he moved away, he asked my dad if he’d consider taking over Flag Day, so at the age of 10 or 11 I was helping him out with fundraising events’.

Steve’s father went on to give an incredible 40 years of volunteering to the RNLI, ending his career as Lifeboat Management Group Chair. One day, he mentioned that the local treasurer was retiring, and asked whether Steve would consider taking on the role.

‘I started out as Treasurer for Ramsgate Lifeboat Station in 2003’, continues Steve. ‘My role has since expanded due to several local fundraising branches merging over a number of years, as well as becoming Treasurer of Margate Lifeboat Station about five years ago. I’ve been volunteering for long enough now that I have become the person to come to for advice for other volunteers from my fundraising group and stations.

‘As Treasurer, I am responsible for handling things like banking money that has been raised or donated, sending thank you letters to our donors and assisting with paperwork for our fundraisers. The role really varies, but there’s something to do almost every night.’

Our thanks go to Steve, Ruth, Steve and all our volunteers. Volunteers’ Week is a great time to say thank you and celebrate volunteers you know. If you’re a volunteer manager, check out the resources available to help you show your appreciation. You can also share your thanks with volunteers via our online thank you wall.

Find out more

The RNLI’s Volunteering Advisers will be running a number of discovery workshops during Volunteers’ Week for potential volunteers to find out more about volunteering at the RNLI across the UK. Current and potential volunteers can join any session, regardless of location; you don’t need to be in the region hosting each session. Choose from the list below to find out more:

Get in touch

If you do have any feedback or questions, please do get in touch with our team. You can also find resources and sessions available to help you, or any volunteers that you support in your role, here on the Volunteer Zone.

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