People in Sussex encouraged to take part in RNLI's Mayday Mile Challenge
The charity is raising vital funds following increased demand on its services last year
Last updated 23rd Mar 2023
The RNLI is encouraging people to walk, jog, hop or skip one mile a day in May as part of its annual fundraising campaign.
The charity's Mayday Mile challenge is raising vital funds following increased demand on services last year.
Crews and beach lifeguards saved 506 lives in 2022, nearly 100 more than the previous year.
Guy Addington, Regional Water Safety Lead for Sussex, said: “We depend entirely on voluntary contributions to fund our life saving service and the vast majority of our operational and fundraising teams are made up of volunteers, so it is the bedrock of the organisation.
“Of course, everybody's experiencing an upturn in the cost-of-living and whilst we understand that, we do depend on the generous giving of the public to fund what we do out and about around the coast.
“We're facing increased costing in terms of kit, in terms of fuel, in terms of energy and also people's time because we depend so heavily on volunteers.
“There's a higher level of demand on them in their day-to-day existence and often they are unable to give just as much time as they want to, or may have been used to giving, to serve as part of our organisation, so fundraising is even more important than ever before.”
The data also showed that RNLI lifeboats were launched 9,312 times last year, an increase of five per cent on 2021 figures.
RNLI volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coastlines.
Anyone who wants to sign up can do so here.