Independent lifeboats in Britain and Ireland
{{Short description|List of lifeboat services in Britain and Ireland}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
File:Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Boat Station.jpg
File:Ryde Inshore Rescue Service, Isle of Wight, UK.jpg
Independent lifeboats in Britain and Ireland began to be established around the coasts towards the end of the 18th century in response to the loss of life at sea.
More recently, independent services have been set up in response to the increasing popularity of coastal and river sport and leisure activities. Many currently-independent, RNLI-adopted and lapsed services pre-date the RNLI, founded in 1824 as the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS).
There are at least 84 (see tables below) and as many as 100{{cite web|title=Go Orange Day for Independent Lifeboats|url=http://solent-rescue.org.uk/news/2-uncategorised/6-go-orange-day-for-independent-lifeboats|access-date=25 May 2014}} independent lifeboat services operating throughout Britain, Ireland, as well as the Channel Islands, both on coasts and inland waterways, comprising around a quarter of the lifeboat services in the UK and Ireland.
Because the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) owns and operates the majority of lifeboat stations (238 in 2025{{cite web |title=Our lifeboat stations |url=https://rnli.org/what-we-do/lifeboats-and-stations/our-lifeboat-stations |website=What we do |publisher=RNLI |access-date=1 April 2025}}), smaller independent services can be overshadowed when it comes to publicity and fundraising.{{cite news|title=Island goes orange for independent lifeboats|publisher=Island Echo|url=http://www.islandecho.co.uk/news/island-goes-orange-independent-lifeboats/|date=21 February 2014|access-date=25 May 2014}}{{cite news|title=Independent lifeboat fundraising drive announced|publisher=Practical Boat Owner|url=http://www.pbo.co.uk/news/434295/independent-lifeboat-fundraising-drive-announced|date=9 December 2009|access-date=25 May 2014}}
Independent services are usually funded privately and most are registered charities; most operate 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
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History
File:Ruins of lifeboat station, Formby Point - geograph.org.uk - 96428.jpg
The first recorded independent lifeboat service was established in 1776 at Formby, {{convert|7|mi}} south of Southport, where there is still an independent lifeboat service (see table).{{cite web|title=Southport Lifeboat - Early history|url=http://www.southport-lifeboat.org.uk/more_info.asp?current_id=78|access-date=25 May 2014}} Many early lifeboat stations were taken under the wing of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution after its foundation in 1824 and throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
Few early stations retained their independence; some were closed by the RNLI many years after takeover, according to the local needs at the time, and of these some were re-established as independent services, sometimes years later. A few 20th century independent services were started up in response to the rapid increase in popularity and affordability of aquatic sport and leisure activities such as swimming, boating, windsurfing, angling and diving.
In 2020, the National Independent Lifeboat Association (NILA) was formed and established as a charity,{{cite web|title=Charities Commission: NILA|url=https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5193634|access-date=1 July 2025}} to give independent lifeboats operators a single voice in national conversations while remaining independent. Not all independent lifeboats are members of NILA. NILA has a seat on the UKSAR Operators group and the National Water Safety Forum.
List of independent lifeboat services
Independent lifeboat services are spread across England, Wales, Scotland,{{cite news|title=Awareness day for independent lifeboats|publisher=The Caledonian Mercury|date=26 February 2010|url=http://caledonianmercury.com/2010/02/26/awareness-day-for-independent-lifeboats/002469|access-date=26 May 2014}} Jersey, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland.{{cite web|title=Irish Lifeboats - Independent lifeboats|url=http://www.irishlifeboats.com/apps/photos/album?albumid=7681538|access-date=3 June 2014}} Some are primarily inland rescue services.
Note: Some services appear twice where they cover border areas.
{{Incomplete list|date=May 2014}}
=United Kingdom=
==England==
==Wales==
==Scotland==
==Northern Ireland==
=Channel Islands=
Whilst the Channel Islands are not part of the UK (they are Crown dependencies) they are included here because of their proximity to Britain and Ireland with their location in the English Channel and by virtue of the RNLI's coverage, which includes Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney.
==Jersey==
| class="wikitable"
! Name and location !! Notes !! Image |
| Jersey Lifeboat Association St Helier, Jersey | Established 2019{{cite web|title=Jersey Lifeboat|url=http://www.lifeboat.je|accessdate=22 August 2023}} | |
=Republic of Ireland=
Some independent services come under the umbrella of Community Rescue Boats Ireland (CRBI) and are trained and administrated by Irish Water Safety.{{cite web|title=Community Rescue Boats Ireland (CRBI)|url=http://www.iws.ie/rescue-services/community-rescue-boats-ireland-crbi.302.html|access-date=17 February 2015}}
See also
References
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External links
{{commons category|Independent lifeboats in the United Kingdom}}
- [https://www.nila.org.uk National Independent Lifeboat Association]
Category:Sea rescue organisations of the United Kingdom