General Chat

I am sure I am not the only one on here who thinks the lifeboatmen do a great job, going out in all weathers, sometimes at great personal risk, to rescue anyone who is in difficulty at sea.

Recently this included helping to rescue refugees trying to cross the Channel. A couple of days after the tragedy when so many died, the RNLI shut down its website because they were getting death threats aimed at their members.

This sort of behaviour is a disgrace, no matter who it is aimed at, and it's a pity there isn't an effective way of stopping it.

There doesn't seem to be. Sometime we would be better off without social media. It gives the opportunity for horrible people to say awful things they would never have dared say face to face in the past.

The abuse is awful and I don't know how one could quieten the threats.

I recently saw a programme where a RNLI volunteer said that they don't question the circumstances, they just hope to save lives at sea, no matter who is in danger.

When people in the rescue services are willing to put themselves at risk to help others, we have much to be grateful for.

In a similar vein, I couldn't believe that someone would complain about the Air Ambulance flying over their house at 'unsociable' hours. I think this was in the Southampton area.

Emergencies can happen at any time!

Gwyn the complaint was in the Isle of Wight near St Mary’s hospital.

And people attacking paramedics. don't they ever think that one day they themselves might need help from these people?

What they do

https://rnli.org/about-us/our-history/timeline/1939-1945-second-world-war
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdRqw0DVD5Y

Gosh! Never knew the RNLI went out in all weathers to rescue people from the sea. :-0

I always wondered what those fancy boats did. Not!

:-D :-D :-D. I thought they gave pleasure trips

The RNLI even rescue drunk yachtsmen, unseaworthy ships, all manner of fools (eg walking dogs in Morcambe bay at the wrong tide ) and of course refugees in flimsy inflatable dinghies.

The main point in my post was that the RNLI rescued downed Luftwaffe air crew. Then as now not everybody was in favour of RNLI policy of extending a hand for anyone in peril at sea. Also of course the site is up after attempts to close it down.

LG post is neither informative nor entertaining.

I hadn’t realised there were two links when I posted. I just thought it was a bit like telling us that the fire brigade put out fires.

The link to the WW11 story makes no mention of dissent over the rescues.

Please yourself

LG 'Tut' - be more entertaining, for goodness sakes!! You know, like RTR!

When the RNLI received the abuse, and those who wouldn't have the guts to do their job, but can sit at a PC typing abuse, declared they would no longer support the RNLI (yea, like they ever did before), donations to the RNLI went up! :-D :-D :-D

Although the RNLI don’t do the pleasure trips that LG humourously referred to they are able to take out committee members of the local groups that support particular stations. Those committee members are made aware that the trip might morph into a rescue if needed.

I always give to RNLI and support their local shop in my town. My ex was a fisherman out in all weathers and was always grateful to know when a boat was in trouble, there were there to help.

Irrespective of whether the refugee situation is right or wrong crossing the channel in these boats, the RNLI are there to save lives whatever the situation, they take no sides. They rely totally on donations from the public.

How many other jobs do what they do and most are volunteers too risking their lives.

I actually was thinking of setting up a monthly standing order to them in the new year.

I dont do facebook but i have seen vile comments people put on it about various things and will never understand how it is allowed. Afterall, if a post on here is offensive, its reported and removed pretty swiftly.

Florence in the hebrides

:-D :-D :-D Maggie. Perhaps I should start spouting on and dictating like for like perhaps that would prove entertaining

:-D :-D :-D@ LG

:-D :-D :-D

I think that the lifeboats and air ambulances should be funded by the government ,after all they help people like the ambulances and fire service.
we as people donate continually because we care,but they should come under the same umbrella as the other services.
wendy(lincs)

Fully agree, Wendy!

So do I. It would stop the crossover fund raising. Some years ago the air ambulance people came round collecting and pointed out that the charity clothes bag they could see was NOT for my local air ambulance but for a neighbouring one.

Luckily I don’t use those bags.