- The Sea
- Drowning
Lifeboat Lottery Review
“If you go down to the sea today you’re sure of a big surprise!” Well, you are if happen to fall in, or get swept away, or your boat capsizes. Should this happen to you, then you may take comfort in the fact that the UK is set up better than any other country in the world to rescue you should you get into problems.
How much do lifeboat crew get paid
All the members of the RNLI are volunteers. If a member of the public (you) gets into difficulty at sea they give up their time (and occasionally their lives) to come out to rescue you. That is massive! These people deserve your respect, and more importantly your money, to help them to keep doing what they do every single day.
The Lifeboat Lottery
Of all the ways to donate to the RNLI, the lifeboat lottery is probably the least well-known. Visit any seaside town in the UK and you will inevitably discover a Lifeboat shop selling souvenirs. You will certainly come across donation points made out of de-activated sea mines.
Occasionally you may have an envelope come through your letterbox asking for donations. The lottery though! The RNLI don’t run a lottery! Well, yes they do actually.
Surprisingly, the RNLI does not receive funds from the UK National Lottery. They rely totally on donations from the public and from private benefactors. It makes sense then, that in order to raise the money they must come up with new and more inventive ways to encourage the general public to donate to the Lifeboats.
Lotteries are a great way for charities to generate funds and at the same time give you, the public, a way of getting something back as a reward for your loyalty.
We all know about the amazing work that the RNLI does in saving lives around the UK’s coastlines. However, this may not always seem relevant to someone living in Birmingham, which is about as far from the sea as it is possible to get in England. Yet on any given day, the RNLI may be as likely to save the lives of a family from Great Barr as they are a family from Plymouth.
Donate to the RNLI
Of course, the lottery is just one of many ways the RNLI raises funds. Supporters frequently hold fundraising days up and down the country, from fun runs to cake baking. You can donate to the RNLI online. You can leave them a gift in your will. It is even possible to contribute regularly to the Royal National Lifeboat Fund directly from your salary.
To learn more about how you could donate to the RNLI visit their support page. If you would like more information about the RNLI or to discuss fundraising ideas of your own, then check out our dedicated RNLI forum.
The Lifeboat Lottery
Play the RNLI’s Lifeboat Lottery and you’ll be in with a chance of winning up to £5,000. You’ll also be helping to save lives at sea.
Tickets are available to residents of England, Scotland and Wales by emailing lottery@rnli.org.uk or by calling their Customer Care Team on 0300 300 9990
The Lifeboat Lottery
Frequently Asked Questions
Before donating to the RNLI or taking part in the lifeboat lottery there may be some questions you need to be answered. Here are some of the most common questions about the RNLI and the work that they do.
RNLI lifeboat men & women give up their time for free. They may be on call any time of the day or night. Each member of the RNLI is a volunteer and as such, they do not get paid.
An Atlantic 85 lifeboat, which is the rubber dinghy style most often seen used around the coastline of England & Wales can cost between £140,000 – 180,000. However, the ‘Shannon’ class lifeboat, which is the latest and biggest lifeboat in operation with the RNLI may cost anything up to £2.5 million.
All RNLI lifeboats are orange or have an orange hull because this color provides maximum visibility at sea, particularly during stormy weather.
The RNLI has 238 lifeboat stations all around the British coastline. They are mainly located in major towns and cities along the coast.