Rnli Slammed For Spending Millions On Foreign Aid

[naomi24]

//Bosses last week warned the lifeboat charity is facing “some major challenges” after making losses of £6.3million last year. But donations to the service are being spent on creches in Bangladesh and swimsuits for Muslim women in Tanzania.

Tory MP Nigel Evans, who sits on the Commons International Development Committee, said the charity is putting its reputation at risk.

He added: “I would say 99 per cent of the British public giving them money do not have the faintest idea it’s diverted to projects overseas.”//

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9934323/rnli-slammed-foreign-aid-slashing-jobs/

This is one charity I thought was struggling and really needed the money to continue its excellent work around our shores. I certainly wasn’t aware that a proportion of my donations are going overseas. Will this information put this charity’s reputation at risk?

[Zacs-Master]

I agree thew RNLI haven't been very upfront about this but disagree that it's hidden. Their accounts and strategy are easily accessible on line and even identifies the Director responsible for overseas work (I wonder if he's the one on between £180-189k?).

[retrocop]

There was silly old me thinking my fiver had negated little Sammy's daily 8 mile trek to find a gallon of contaminated water. I guess he still does it....... but his Dad's new Kalashnikov is pride of the village.
Charity really does belong at home. I used to do loads of blue water sailing,mainly around Biscay/Channel Islands. I sailed comfortably with the thought, day and night ,that if we had to send a MayDay or Pan Pan we would see a nice Shannon Class lifeboat churning through the waves to rescue us. Not a school of Dusky maidens in Burkinis. No negotiation of Salvage Rights from this sailor in future.

[THECORBYLOON]

How many folk realise the RNLI is also based in the ROI? It's not a secret and I've known about it for decades but is that not a foreign country?

[naomi24]

TCL, a bit of history for you.

https://rnli.org/about-us/our-history/timeline/1922-foundation-of-the-irish-free-state

[Prudie]

Like TTT I also know people who work at RNLI Poole and you may be horrified to know what they spend on staff that are nothing directly to do with saving lives at sea. It's a huge corporate organisation with all the backroom admin and soft skill staff you could think of, I assume though that's the same for every charity. They rely on the public assuming they just send volunteers out to save those at sea - which is a truly admirable cause - but that's just a tiny part. I wouldn't donate to them either.

[Togo]

The RNLI opened it's first station at Arklow, Co Wicklow in 1826.....when Ireland was part of the United Kingdom! Almost a hundred years before Ireland became a free state in 1922, and more than 120 years before it became a Republic in 1949. Besides is the RNLI sending funds to the Irish to teach them how to do an Irish jig in the style of Michael Flatley?

[THECORBYLOON]

NAOMI, I am aware of the many decades the the RNLI has been based in the ROI but it is a foreign country still.

[THECORBYLOON]

TOGO, is the RNLI sending money to teach dancing in ANY country?

[Togo]

Same here Prudie...I had a late pal who was coxswain of a local station and know quite well some of the current crew. Finer men it would be difficult to imagine. They are being betrayed and sadly their betrayers have support.

[Togo]

Is the RNLI spending money giving dancing lessons in any country, even a far flung Taliban stronghold he asks. Don't know. Wouldn't surprise me though given their proclivity for nonsense virtue signalling schemes half way round the World. Perhaps we have not found out about it yet. Maybe the fire brigade could organise morris dancing lessons in the Himalayas and the police force could give make up lessons in the African gold mines.

[douglas9401]

The police would be more likely to be connected to copper mines, shurely.

[retrocop]

How many folk realise the RNLI is also based in the ROI?

Some of the Channel Islands also have their Stations. A retired colleague of mine lives on Alderney and used to crew the RNLI Lifeboat.
Another Charity where money is seriously filtered up to the fat cats is the RSPCA. A pal of mine who I have known for 60 odd years was a RSPCA Inspector. He is very much into animal rescue and packed the post in and left a very sad and disillusioned man when he saw where the money was directed.Some ex high ranking army officer was trousering thousands of pounds purely because he was a Staff rank in the Royal Vetinary Corps.

[douglas9401]

To say nothing of the fire service and their fund raising Burns nights.

[Togo]

Lol@ Douglas....twice. :))

[woofgang]

I think its a bit disingenuous to say "oh its in our annual report" because they know that most people who donate don't read it...I mean yes they should and in fact I do reads the reports of the cahrities to whom I donate on a regular basis. If they are so committed to and proud of, this facet of their work, why don't we see it in the media material that they create?

[Bozz]

Ah, yes, the mugs.
https://twitter.com/search?q=mugs%20(from%3Arnli)&src=typed_query&f=live

[douglas9401]

As well as Mug Gate there's a link to the story in the OP with contributions from, among others, Ben Fogle and Stephen Fry.