I have started a petition on the Government's new e-petition website. Any petition that collects more than 100,000 signatures could be debated in the House of Commons.
The petition asks the Government to match the money that the RNLI raises, pound for pound. Every pound that the RNLI gets in public donations would be matched by a pound from the Government.
The lifeboat crews risk their own lives to save the lives of complete strangers. They are volunteers. They have to raise money through bequests, donations and flag days. They don't get a penny from Government. I think that is disgraceful.
If you think that the RNLI deserves this extra support, please sign the petition, and then spread the word - tell your family, friends, neighbours and colleagues. Write to your local papers, use Facebook, use Twitter, use everything you can. Send them here:
www.PoundForPound.info
or, if you like your addresses short and neat,
bit.ly/qXakiH
Thank you.
This is what the petition says:
Doubling the funding for Lifeboats: the Government should match, pound for pound, the money the RNLI raises for itself.
We, the undersigned, ask the Government to commit to using central funds to match, pound for pound, all the money that the Royal National Lifeboat Institution raises for itself, thus doubling the money available to support the work of RNLI, and recognising and saluting the selfless courage of these life-saving volunteers.
"The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea."
Click the RNLI logo to find out more about these outstanding people.
