A Busy Year For Local Lifeboats

As RNLI issues a funding SOS to safeguard future of the service

Rescue statistics issued this week by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution show the charity's volunteer lifeboat crews on the Thames rescued over 225 people in 2007.

Despite the wet and dismal summer, RNLI Thames lifeboat crews carried out 523 launches, an average of 1.4 launches every day of the year.

he busiest RNLI lifeboat station on the Thames, and in the whole of the UK last year was Tower, with 265 launches, rescuing 92 people, followed by Chiswick, the second busiest in the UK, which launched 142 times and rescued 73 people.

RNLI Training Divisional Inspector Richard Wynn said, "Even though last year we experienced an unusually wet summer, the time when crews are normally at their busiest, we continued to respond to a high number of incidents.

"The RNLI Thames lifeboat crews continue to provide a crucial service, playing a bigger and bigger role on the River. The fact that the lifeboats were being launched multiple times a day shows the value of their presence.

"All RNLI rescues, equipment and the training that our volunteer crews require can only be provided thanks to the generosity of the public. Without their goodwill our service would not be able to keep pace with on-going demands. That's why the charity is holding a national day of fundraising – RNLI SOS day, which is geared to generating funds for the future provision of the service."

To take part in RNLI SOS day and for inspiring fundraising ideas or to simply make a donation log on to www.rnli.org.uk/sos or call 0845 121 4999.

January 22, 2008