Back المؤسسة الملكية الوطنية لقوارب النجاة Arabic Sefydliad Brenhinol y Badau Achub Welsh Royal National Lifeboat Institution German Royal National Lifeboat Institution Spanish مؤسسه قایق نجات سلطنتی ملی Persian Royal National Lifeboat Institution French Institiúid Náisiúnta Ríoga na mBád Tarrthála Irish 王立救命艇協会 Japanese Royal National Lifeboat Institution NB ਰਾਇਲ ਨੈਸ਼ਨਲ ਲਾਈਫਬੋਟ ਇੰਸਟੀਚਿਊਸ਼ਨ Punjabi
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| Abbreviation | RNLI |
|---|---|
| Formation | 4 March 1824 |
| Type | Life savers |
| Legal status | Registered charity |
| Purpose | To save lives at sea. |
| Headquarters | Poole, Dorset, England |
Region served | |
Patron | The King |
President | The Duke of Kent |
Chief executive | Mark Dowie |
Main organ | The Lifeboat |
Budget (2022) | £221.6 million |
Staff (2022) | 1,972 |
Volunteers (2022) | More than 9,700 |
| Website | rnli |
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is the largest of the lifeboat services operating around the coasts of the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, as well as on some inland waterways.
Founded in 1824 as the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, it soon afterwards became the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck because of the patronage of King George IV. Royal patronage has continued up to the present day with King Charles III. The organisation changed to its name to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution on 5 October 1854 and was granted a royal charter in 1860.
The RNLI is a charity based in Poole, Dorset. It is principally funded by legacies (65%) and donations (30%). Most of its lifeboat crews are unpaid volunteers. They operate more than 400 lifeboats from 238 stations. Paid lifeguards provide services at nearly 250 beaches. The RNLI also provides free safety advice to many different groups of people, and has been involved in international cooperation since 1924.