RNLI Calls On The Public To Take Part In The Mayday Mile

Thursday 23 March 2023 – Today, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has released its operational figures for 2022, revealing its lifeboat crews and lifeguards saved a total of 506 lives last year. That’s more than one life saved every single day of the year.

• New data has revealed RNLI lifeboats launched 9,312 times in 2022 – an increase of 5% on the previous year*.
• Lifeboat crews and the charity’s beach lifeguards saved a total of 506 lives last year – more than one life every day.
• The charity is now looking ahead to another busy summer of lifesaving around our coasts.
• In response, the RNLI is putting out a Mayday call – asking the public to support their lifesavers by signing up to the Mayday Mile.

The data – captured between January and December 2022 – highlights just how busy the charity’s selfless volunteer lifeboat crews have been, with 9,312 lifeboat launches over the course of the last year – an increase of 5% on 2021. RNLI lifeboat crews saved the lives of 389 people over the course of 2022, whilst the charity’s beach lifeguards saw 117 lives saved.

With demand for its lifesaving services at a high, the charity is putting out its own ‘Mayday’ call, urging the public to take part in the Mayday Mile fundraiser – taking on the challenge of covering a mile a day for the month of May. All money raised will help to provide the vital training and equipment that is needed to keep its lifesavers safe, while they risk their own lives to save others.

Whether you choose to walk, jog, hop or skip, the Mayday Mile challenges participants to cover one mile in any way they like every day in May, with sponsorship raising vital funds for RNLI lifesavers so that they can continue saving lives at sea.

Pete Emmett, Head of Engagement at the RNLI, said: ‘The RNLI has been saving lives at sea for very nearly 200 years. Our incredible lifeboat crews across the UK and Ireland launched over 9,000 times last year to help those in need, and our lifeguards kept people safe across hundreds of beaches. We are so proud of our brave and selfless lifesavers.

‘As a charity, we rely on the generous support of members of the public to continue this lifesaving work. We need ongoing fundraising – now, more than ever – to keep providing our lifesavers with the best equipment and training for their important lifesaving role, which is why we’re calling on people to support our lifesavers this May.

‘Every Mayday Mile completed will help give our lifesavers everything they need to continue to keep people safe this summer – and beyond. It’s so easy to get involved, and to have fun whilst helping the RNLI save lives.’

The Mayday Mile takes place from Monday 1 May to Wednesday 31 May. Sign up and find out more at RNLI.org/SupportMayday today.