General Chat

Next to impossible. The RNLI operates in several jurisdictions - England & Wales, Scotland, Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, Republic of Ireland. None of them have ever evinced any desire to take over the RNLI in whole or part.
It has operated under a Royal Charter since 1854 with the Queen being the current patron in the R.O.I..

Who would set policy, budget, control hiring ?

The construction and operation of lifeboats is expensive and needs a lot of know how. That is why the RNLI is totally independent, it stops unwanted interference from bureaucrats and such generous institutions as H M Treasury.

The whole ethos of the RNLI rests on its total independence from government
Do you really want to see the likes of P Patel and BO Johnson in charge? Surely not.

The Air Ambulance is run by a couple of dozen charities and is wildly overstretched. .. God forbid the RNLI suffering a similar fate.

"The Air Ambulance Service is an independent charity which receives no government funding. It raises funds from the general public, corporate supporters, lotteries and trusts"
"The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is the largest charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. As a charity."

Looks like they're both independent charities.
Neither 'run by a couple of dozen' charities.

I am with you 100%, AndysMum.

We, as a family have always supported the RNLI, particularly my OH who over many years was part of a group responsible for raising funds for a lifeboat and much equipment.

It is my understanding that the RNLI is one fund-raising charity covering the UK and all of Ireland whereas there are various individual fund-raising air ambulance charities (eg Great North Air Ambulance charity, London etc with one ‘umbrella’ Air Ambulances UK charity.

It would seem that the RNLI has a charity reg with each governing authority - I wonder if that is why Rollo thought they all independent charities.

Names, do you mean the various air ambulance charities, not the RNLI?

Hi JL , no I did mean the RNLI They are registered as a charity in all the regions that have been mentioned. If you Google RNLI funding you will see all the registrations, but it is one charity. You can donate direct to a lifeboat station or to the overall charity.

I get you now, names. I knew it was one Charity with shops and lifeboat stations which also accept donations of course, having a hubby who helped raise thousands for them and who has been out with them a couple of times.

I didn’t get the impression that Rollo thought they were all independent charities either! :-S

Perhaps I need a drink to clear my brain! ;-) :-D

Names, most (if not all, now) charities have to be registered with the Charity Commission and they are given a registration number when they do so. (Is that what you meant?). At one time really small charities did not have to register but I am not sure about the current situation - hence my (if not all, now).

As far as sales/shops are concerned, during my fairly long employment by a charity, government legislation and charity commission regulations demanded that the shop/sales part of the charity had to have a limited company registration number and directors to operate all profit went direct to the charity. The directors, of course, were from our charity committee and were unpaid.

So two registration numbers - one for the charity commission and one for the limited company - but all under one charity ‘umbrella’. (Two sets of books I had to keep too.)

I have a feeling that these are the similar-type registrations you refer to above - but let me know if I have got the wrong end of the stick. You may even know whether government legislation or Charity Commission rules have changed - after all, I’ve been retired for almost 18 years.

My Gt Grandfather was a lifeboat man ..In Hartlepool in the 1850s

JL

I assumed they had to be registered as a charity under each administration because of local donations, which would need to be covered.

Remembering the crews of the Penlee lifeboat and the Union Star who died 40 years ago today. <3

All Christmas lights go off for one hour in Mousehole Cornwall tonight, about the time both boats and their crews were lost .

Pat
I remember that disaster and have just been re reading the details.
Such a terrible loss of life.

What a quiet and moving way for Mousehole to remember them each year. <3