This month (October), the Freemasons’ Grand Charity funds its second introductory B class course at the Lifeboat College in Poole, at a cost of £24,000. The Freemasons made a commitment last year to support probationary crew training by funding three such courses over 3 years.

Other trusts to have supported crew training over the past year include Lloyd's Register Educational Trust, City Bridge Trust, Dulverton Trust, Headley Trust, Iliffe Family Charitable Trust, Peacock Trust, Samuel and Freda Parkinson Charitable Trust and Stafford Trust.

These are a handful of the 8,800 or so charitable trusts and foundations in the UK that provide a highly valuable source of funding to a range of causes. Most grant-making trusts derive their income from an endowment, or sum of money given by an individual, a family or a company. Last year, the RNLI gratefully received over £1.8M from charitable trusts and foundations. To find out more email [email protected].