RNLI volunteer lifeboat crews face a possible £20 million funding shortfall nationwide as a result of Covid-19 as the RNLI nationally says events which would normally bring in cash have been cancelled due to restrictions.
With more of us holidaying at home this summer, the work of the RNLI has never been more important, but lockdown has meant a slowdown in fundraising.
Right now in August in the beautiful weather that we have been having until this week, we would have been in the big reaches of the fund raising effort, with fundraising teams, shops etc. But all the RNLI stations are closed to the public, all their shops are closed, and no fundraising events are taking place, so this has had a huge impact on income that would normally have been generated.
The RNLI are currently running their summer appeal online. Also the RNLI online shop is still running, and people who’d normally use the shops in lifeboat stations can actually allocate a shop online and the money that they spend will be sent to that station.
At RNLI Rye Harbour by the beautiful pebble memorial in honour of the lives lost in the 1928 tragedy of the Mary Stanford there is a DONATIONS box which is emptied daily and is generating some income. Please give generously when you are in the Harbour to help keep our station operational. The team at Rye Harbour are on duty 24/7 and save many lives at sea. They are volunteers and give tirelessly of their time to be ready and available.
Image Credits: kt Bruce .