30% call increase highlights vital service lifeboat charity provides
RNLI lifeboats operating on the River Thames throughout London have had another busy year according to official statistics released this week, with all four lifeboat stations carrying out more launches in 2008 than in the previous year.
Official figures released to coincide with the charity’s biggest national fundraising day, SOS Day, show that in 2008, RNLI lifeboats from Tower, Chiswick, Teddington and Gravesend collectively launched a total of 703 times, almost 200 times more than in 2007.
The rise represents a 30% increase in the number of Royal National Lifeboat Institution launches at the four stations, highlighting the vital lifesaving service that the charity provides on the tidal reaches of the River Thames, the busiest inland waterway in the United Kingdom.
Chiswick RNLI lifeboat launched 149 times in 2008, rescuing 42 people in all, compared to the 2007 figure of 142 launches.
Andrew Ashton, Divisional Inspector for the RNLI, said, "The figures illustrate the ongoing need for funds to ensure our lifeboat crew, many of whom are volunteers, continue to get the necessary training and expertise to enable them to save lives on the river and at sea.
"The overall increase in lifeboat launches can’t easily be attributed to one specific factor. It could be due to increased river traffic, more people using it for leisure purposes, a greater number of accidents etc."
SOS Day, the RNLI’s biggest fundraising day, takes its name from the international mayday distress signal, Save Our Souls. For fundraising purposes, supporters have been encouraged to adopt the letters S O S to come up with themed fundraising events. One example is the crew of Chiswick lifeboat station who will today undertake “Saunter Or Scamper”, a 21-mile walk march along the Thames path from Teddington to Tower Bridge dressed in full crew lifesaving kit.
RNLI Chief Executive Andrew Freemantle said, "Events like RNLI SOS Day are vital to our charity, particularly in these difficult times. We rely on the public’s support to deliver, day in day out, lifeboat and lifeguard services around our island shores, and to enable us to do this independently of Government. I cannot thank the public enough."
January 29, 2009
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