Thank you to all RNLI volunteers and staff

Hi everyone, 

The last 10 days have been extremely challenging for all of us who support, volunteer, and work for the RNLI. 

We have all been shocked and angered by the abhorrent scenes we were witness to in Portsmouth on Sunday 6 September, and subsequently, following an unprecedented mid-English Channel small boat crossing. 

It has been particularly tough for those South East RNLI crews who were directly involved. They, and those they love, were exposed to the most appalling verbal, physical, and subsequently online abuse, in the full glare of the national media, simply for answering a Coastguard call to rescue 114 people in distress. In doing their duty, answering the pager that day, and undertaking that service, they demonstrated tremendous resilience and represented the very best of us. I know that I speak for the wider RNLI family when I offer them our sincere thanks, praise and admiration for an incredibly difficult job well done. 

In the aftermath, I have been inspired by the many fantastic individual and team performances that I have witnessed or have been reported to me. Whether it be the lifeboat stations who have stoically kept calm and carried on; the security team in Poole who have ensured the safety of our people during follow-on protests; the shop volunteers of Skegness who stayed open longer and sold twice what they ordinarily would; the South East Regional and Occupational Health teams who have supported the six stations most involved; the Supporter Experience Team who have handled an unprecedented number of calls, the vast majority positive and others less so; the Finance Team who manually reconciled online payments when the website crashed temporarily due to the massive surge in people determined to donate to the RNLI; the Launch a Memory organisers and volunteer guides who ensured that we gave our amazing supporters a very special experience last weekend, or; the innumerable, incredibly kind and mutually supportive notes, emails, and acts that I have witnessed across the RNLI in recent days.  

I am inspired by you and what we have collectively shown that we can achieve, together, as One Crew, in the face of adversity. Thank you all for the resilience and determination you have displayed to the millions of people who love, support and depend upon us over this most challenging period, and in the spotlight of local, national and international media. You have demonstrated admirably the RNLI’s values – selfless, dependable, trustworthy and courageous. We pulled together, we maintained our course, and faced into the storm, unbowed by the threats, misinformation, and provocation.  

Uplifting messages

To illustrate how our supporters, both existing and new, and the wider public have stood by us, I thought you might like to read some of the fabulously uplifting messages and stories that we have received. They show clearly how much you are valued, and we, the RNLI, are cherished by the people, communities, and nations that we serve.  

A member of the Supporter Experience Team took a phone call, from a lady in her 90s, who expressed her longstanding love and support for the RNLI and her pledge to speak up for every one of us as long as she has breath left in her body, before donating; the online message from a 14-year-old boy who wanted us to know: 'Everything you do is amazing. Don't listen to what other people have to say’; the tub of Cadbury’s Heroes delivered by another young person to a south coast lifeboat station – he simply said: ‘because you are my heroes.’ 

We have received many thousands of similarly supportive messages, including: 

• ‘You are simply national treasures - wonderful people doing incredibly important work … thank you.’  
• ‘Amazing charity. The volunteers risking their own lives to save others, are wonderful human beings.’ 
• ‘Selfless bravery, and respect for your fellow humans unbounded. This island would be lost at sea, without your honourable willingness, to risk life and limb for those needing to be rescued.’ 
• ‘There are so many of us standing behind you, supporting you and grateful for every life you save. Thank you.’ 
• ‘The RNLI are absolute heroes’ 
• ‘Have just signed up for membership - keep doing what you do.’ 
• ‘Will definitely start giving you a regular donation, you are a force for good.’ 
• ‘The RNLI embody the values that set an example to all. End of story.’ 
• ‘Not all superheroes wear capes, some wear life jackets and yellow wellies.’ 

It is easy to become disheartened and hurt by the vitriol and abusive comments of a malicious minority, but there really are so many more people kind and generous people out there who share our values and that wish us well. Hold on to that, I do.  

The overwhelming response of the public towards our volunteers, staff and charity, has been positive, with emergency service partners, other charities, commentators, celebrities, and politicians from across the political spectrum all speaking up for the RNLI and our people in a heartening and overwhelming demonstration of solidarity. 

Although we don’t have definitive figures to share yet, we can say that we have seen a substantial increase in the number of donations received during this period, and that we have also welcomed a significant number of new RNLI supporters onboard. However, we should also acknowledge that some supporters and members of the public have elected to withdraw their support. I thank them for their support to date and respect but lament their decision to do so. I acknowledge that many do so with a heavy heart, however, if their values no longer align with the charity's then they must do what they feel is right. We hope to see them again in the future. 

The issue of migration is polarising; it is not for us to enter that debate. We are an apolitical organisation. Our charitable purpose is clear, it is to save lives at sea, and our mission is to save every one. If we diverge from our reason for being, we will be adrift and rudderless, at the mercy of the winds of events and the tides of change. 

Lifesaving continues 24/7

It is also worth remembering, with pride, that our vital lifesaving mission has continued uninterrupted over the last few weeks - lifeboats crews and stations have answered their pagers at all times of the day and night and in all weathers across the UK and Ireland; lifeguards have kept countless people safe on our beaches and our vital drowning prevention messaging has been delivered to new audiences, at home and abroad. Some notable highlights for me, include:  

• Hoylake’s Shannon class and New Brighton’s Atlantic 85 launched to assist a drifting yacht close to the busy shipping lanes of the River Mersey, leading to an eight-hour operation in challenging conditions 
• Walmer crew launched their D class lifeboat to two swimmers in difficulty, struggling against the tide 
• Red Bay crew spent seven hours at sea after launching in the middle of the night to rescue six people in gale force conditions 
• Loch Ness crew launched their Atlantic 85 to four capsized kayakers who had fallen foul of choppy conditions on the loch 
• Portrush RNLI lifeguards rescued a bodyboarder caught in a rip current off the County Antrim coast - and a walker who had fallen from rocks 

The RNLI is and always will be powered by remarkable, kind people, like you, and fuelled by the incredible generosity of the public.  

Whatever your role, whatever you do for the RNLI, thank you, for all that you do for this remarkable charity, for your community, and all those that we have never met before, but who will depend on our lifesaving service. Please stay safe. 

Click this link for more information on how you can stay safe.

Sincerely,

Peter - RNLI Chief Executive