“With courage, nothing is impossible.”- Sir William Hillary, founder of the RNLI.

Hello everyone and thank you for taking the time to read this.

On April 23^rd 2023, I will be running my first London marathon for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI). It is an absolute honour to be running for the RNLI and I am so grateful for the opportunity to play a small role in helping a service that has saved over 140,000 lives.

The RNLI is an independent service which is dedicated to saving those at sea. They provide services from lifeboats, to lifeguarding at beaches, to flood rescue. The RNLI bravely run head-first into dangerous situations to save lives and you may think that this would be their day job, however that is further from the truth.

Of the 35,000 staff who selflessly work for the RNLI, 95% of them are volunteers. Many of these volunteers compromise their safety and work tirelessly to ensure that not only are people safe, but that there is enough fundraising happening to keep the organisation going. You may think you would never need the RNLI, but regardless of whether you are in a charter boat, a small fishing boat, or even having a fun day out at the beach with the family, the RNLI will be the heroes who come and rescue those in danger. Even if you feel that this service may never apply to you, they will be vital to the safety of your family or friends.

To run such a life-saving organisation, donations are extremely important, and every penny is used wisely to buy equipment and training but unfortunately, these things are not cheap.

The average cost to train one lifeboat crew member is £1,400, whilst the total cost of all their kit per member is £3,519.

The cost of one lifeboat ranges from £400,000- £2.26M, the full cost of kit for one lifeguard is £525, and lifeguard fleets range from £7,000-£10,000.

The RNLI are available 24/7, 365 days a year and on average, the lifeboat crew help 35 people a day. This is an extraordinary amount of lives saved per year and without the work of such a selfless organisation, it is upsetting to think of how dangerous the sea would be without them.

Being by the sea hits very close to home for me. Whilst most families go on daytrips to the park, my family would to Brighton, and we would fish from the early hours of the morning till the evening. We would laugh, play music, and say hello to the neighbouring boats anchored around us. My fondest memories are catching fish with my family, and I am so proud to be fundraising for an organisation which embodies selflessness, bravery, and courage. Nobody should ever underestimate the dangers of the sea, as things could change in a split second, but it is reassuring to know that if anything was to happen, the RNLI would be there in a heartbeat.

Thank you so much for reading and any donation is much appreciated!

Katie x

Here's what the RNLI has to say: 

Too many people are still drowning. More than ever we need the RNLI's help. As a charity, the RNLI depends on our donations so it can go on saving lives and keeping us and our loved ones safe. RNLI lifesavers are our lifeline. They are the lifeboat crews who provide 24-hour search and rescue right around the UK and Ireland. The lifeguards keeping watch on 240 of the busiest beaches in the UK and Channel Islands. And the RNLI safety teams and educators working tirelessly to stop people getting into trouble in the first place. Thank you!!