About us

We are the RNLI: the charity that saves lives at sea. Every day of every year, people of all backgrounds get into danger in the water. It’s a problem that we’re here to tackle.

How the RNLI is run

We are separate from the Coastguard, independent of the Government and rely on our volunteers and supporters to run our lifesaving service.

Our history

On 28 February 1823, Sir William Hillary made an impassioned appeal to the nation, calling for a service dedicated to saving lives at sea.

That service was to become the RNLI. And since our foundation in 1824, our brave lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 140,000 lives.

Today we celebrate our long and proud lifesaving history through our archive and library, collections, exhibitions and museums, all of which keep our inspiring stories of courage alive.

Our strategy

Working together with partners and communities, we aim to educate, influence, supervise and rescue those at risk from drowning.