RNLI Partners with Biosphere amid 200th birthday celebrations

The RNLI, which was founded in the Isle of Man by Sir William Hillary, has recently become a proud Biosphere Community Partner.

This year, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) became a Biosphere Isle of Man Community Partner.

The institution’s Biosphere pledge is very timely as they are also celebrating their 200th birthday, reflecting on the many years they have been committed to saving lives at sea.

There are five lifeboat stations across the Island, in Douglas, Ramsey, Peel, Port Erin and Port St Mary.

What makes the RNLI and its relationship with the Island extra special, is that the institution was in fact born here in our Biosphere.

Sir William Hillary, founder of the RNLI, was living in Douglas and witnessing ships wrecking around the coast, particularly in Douglas Bay on the rocks we now know as ‘Conister Rock’. Conister is the anglicized version of ‘Kione y Sker’ which means head/end of the reef. 

In 1823, Sir William Hillary published his vision for the Isle of Man, Ireland and the UK, in which he believed the preservation of human life from shipwreck could be achieved, through the establishment of an institution dedicated to same.

Initially falling on deaf ears, after a rebrand and a slightly different pitch, Sir William was successful and the RNLI was formally established in 1824. Read more about the history on their website.

Atop Conister Rock, the Tower of Refuge was built in 1832, in a bid to aid seafarers who were caught in the treacherous conditions. There is a bronze plaque in Sir William Hillary’s memory, stated he built it “as a warning to all sea craft and as a refuge in case of shipwreck.”

Today, as well as their commitment to savings lives, the RNLI do so much more across their local communities to engage, train, and make a positive impact and impression around safety at sea, as well as continuously raising funds to support the volunteer-led organisation.

On top of the daily operations, the charity has committed to becoming zero carbon for electricity, gas and fuel (Scopes 1 & 2) by 2050 and is working with partners such as International Maritime Rescue, HM Coastguard, and the Met Office to draw up a climate adaptation plan.

They are looking to establish options and timeframes for shifting from fossil fuels to alternative forms of propulsion for lifeboats, and are planning the electrification of its vehicle fleet. 

And as if they weren’t already doing enough, they are exploring and evaluating other areas of their operations in order to develop more sustainable procedures in relation to waste, contamination, and water usage.

You can read the RNLI’s full Biosphere Partnership entry on our website.

To find out more about the RNLI, and how you can support or volunteer for them, visit their website, and find your local Lifeboat Station.