RNLI lifeboats launched more than 8,000 times in 2012 in a year of poor weather and heavy rainfall. Despite the weather, our lifeguards helped more than 16,000 people.

Meanwhile, the RNLI Flood Rescue Team had their busiest year on record, deploying 8 times. See page 18 for a round-up of several rescues including a Bronze Medal rescue, the first for the Flood Rescue Team.

Together our dedicated crew, lifeguards and Flood Rescue Team assisted over 24,400 people – equivalent to a packed Fulham football stadium.

We launched a lifeboat 23 times a day, on average, and our volunteer crew spent a collective 67,352 hours at sea on service – that’s over 7 years in total.

RNLI Operations Director, Michael Vlasto, thanks all those who support us: ‘The figures show that our volunteers dedicate a huge amount of their time to saving lives at sea. And it’s not just our crew who are committed to our charity – they wouldn’t be able to carry out their lifesaving work without the incredible generosity of the public.’