Independent lifeboats

[Lady Campanula]

I was surprised to find, browsing the 'eBay For Charity' pages, that there are at least half-a-dozen 'other' lifeboat charities operating around the UK...

Freshwater Independent Lifeboat

Freshwater Independent Lifeboat has two boats on 24/7 standby for slipway launch. Spirit of West Wight is a self-righting RIB and the Berry B is a 5m semi-inflatable inshore rescue boat. Our patch is from St Catherines lighthouse in the South to Hurst Point in the Solent and out to 30 miles off shore in mid Channel. Our Crew, Launching Party and Fundraisers are entirely voluntary and need your help.


Maritime Rescue Institute

To promote and advance the education of the public in maritime rescue in the waters within and surrounding Scotland and elsewhere, either independently and/or in association with Local Authorities, public sector agencies, NGOs, voluntary organisations and others.

Portishead and Bristol Lifeboat Trust

To save and protect the lives of the general public in particular by the provision of a lifeboat in the Severn estuary based at Portishead in Somerset

Ryde Inshore Rescue

Inshore Rescue is an independent Lifeboat station run by volunteers and supported entirely by public donations. Working through HMCG it is responsible for providing sea rescue facilities in the southeast area of the Solent throughout the year. On call 24hrs a day we attend between 40 and 50 incidents a year, rescuing or assisting about 100 persons.

Sandown & Shanklin Independent Lifeboat

Inshore Lifeboat is a Independent Lifeboat station who operate outside the jurisdiction of the RNLI and are based on the South coast of the Isle of Wight. They cover 72nm of coast line and sea. The service is run purely on donations - no admin costs a taken from anything they recieve. 24/7 356 days a year, the crews are there to help save lives at sea. Please help support them and help them save lives at sea. Many charities save lives at sea - not just one.

Severn Area Rescue Association

To protect life and property through the provision of a professionally trained, specialist rescue service for marine and land search. From the Severn Estuary to Shrewsbury, SARA provides 24 hour,365 days emergency cover, Run totally by Volunteers and relies on private donations and fund-raising efforts.

And of course...

RNLI - Royal National Lifeboat Institution

The RNLI is a registered charity that saves lives at sea. It provides, on call, a 24-hour lifeboat search and rescue service to 100 miles out from the coast of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland and a beach lifeguard service on 71 beaches in England. The RNLI continues to rely on voluntary contributions and legacies for its income.

So what is it about the Isle of Wight? And are there others?

 

[dt4134]

There's also GAFIRS if I've got it right. Maybe there are just more customers in the Solent.

 

[photodog]

There is also Caister Lifeboat... and Maryport as well... both of which have had considerable donations by a certain Electric company due to their close proximity to wind farms... and despite the very close RNLI stations...

 

[activesail]

Bigup the Portishead and Bristol Lifeboat Trust.

They do a fantastic job...

 

[Twister_Ken]

Dozens of'em

 

[Bajansailor]

Re the GAFIRS - on their webpage http://www.gafirs.org.uk/homepage.html they mention that they need GBP 35,000 a year to operate (which is not a huge amount really) - and a lot of this is raised from folk with collecting buckets at boat shows.
I have a couple of pals who are involved with GAFIRS, and they have noted that very often boat show visitors will comment 'Oh the RNLI is rich enough already, dont give them anything' when they see these folk with their buckets (and obvious GAFIRS logos prominently visible......).
It would appear that many folk regard all the lifeboat groups as coming under the overall control (and fund raising) of the RNLI, I suppose because they are so well known.

 

[Boreades]

Has it always been like this (and we never noticed) or does it indicate something not quite right with the RNLI?

 

[Lady Campanula]

Has it always been like this (and we never noticed) or does it indicate something not quite right with the RNLI?

I'm not going to join the 'critical of Poole' chorus, but - recalling a discussion with a Portishead Lifeboat crew member and a Pilot for the commercial ports there - from time to time the RNLI decide, from their parameters, to withdraw a lifeboat service from a locality, arguing that the need can be met by other, 'nearby', services.

Rather often, local volunteers disagree, and decide to provide and operate their own local service - and find the local funding, too.

I hadn't been as aware of the numerous individual rescue services as perhaps I might. Perhaps there's a PBO article here going begging....

 

[Ubergeekian]

Has it always been like this (and we never noticed) or does it indicate something not quite right with the RNLI?

I think that it's been the case for quite a while. My impression is that most of the non-RNLI lifeboats are inshore RIBs - possibly a need for them has grown with leisure boating?

My local one is Nith Inshore Rescue which covers the upper Solway and Galloway lochs, complementing the RNLI boats at Kippford and Kirkcudbright.

 

[savageseadog]

Mersey Inshore Rescue

 

[DownWest]

Does Atlantic College still run it's life boat?

 

[BlackPig]

I hadn't been as aware of the numerous individual rescue services as perhaps I might. Perhaps there's a PBO article here going begging....

There was in no 528 November 2010 p87

And another thanks to Freshwater life boat for helping me out "Carrie"

 

[penfold]

The Glasgow Humane Society do lifesaving on the upper Clyde.

 

[2Tizwoz]

Blyth All Weather Lifeboat

http://www.blythallweatherlifeboat.com/ourhistory.htm

'The Blyth All Weather Lifeboat was formed when the RNLI decided to stop having an all weather boat stationed at Blyth. The volunteers of BAWLB raised £120,000 to buy the boat and continue to raise £40,000 per year to fund the organisation which is now a charity.

In April 2006, the Blyth Volunteer Lifeboat Service (BAWLB) became a declared facility with the Maritime and Coastguard agency, making it part of the UK's Maritime Search and Rescue Service. The independent lifeboat also became a registered charity in July last year.'

 

[Ubergeekian]

The Glasgow Humane Society do lifesaving on the upper Clyde.

When the cops let them. George Parsonage was threatened with arrest recently if he rescued a drowning woman. Health and safety, apparently. He went ahead and rescued her anyway. Good chap.

 

[mikehibb]

Does Atlantic College still run it's life boat?

Looks like they are RNLI.

http://www.rnli.org.uk/rnli_near_you/west/stations/atlanticcollege

Had a memorable time there many years ago. I was an extra in a film. Peter O'Toole and Jolley Richardson were in it.

Not saying what film, however it was memorable as a box office flop.

 

[Sybarite]

You be arrested in France if you didn't try to help (non-assistance à personne en danger).

 

[Sybarite]

The volunteers do a fantastic job; I only criticize their structure. The RNLI annual operating budget is approx. 10 times that of the equivalent sized French service whose total permanent workforce is less than those earning over £60k pa at the RNLI.

 

[TamarMike]

Add Sidmouth Lifeboat www.sidmouthlifeboat.org.uk to list

 

[[2068]]

Hayling Rescue = Frank Dunster + a very substantial RIB.