Racists have stopped donating to RNLI because some money is used abroad author imageEmma BrazellMonday 16 Sep 2019 2:05 pm Share this article via facebook Share this article via twitter Share this article via messenger 55Shares Handout issued by RNLI of the Michael O?Brien, a new lifeboat that joins Clogherhead RNLI to serve Ireland?s east coast. The RNLI came under fire online after £3.3 million of donations was spent on foreign projects (Picture: PA Wire/PA Images) The Royal National Lifeboat Institution has been forced to defend itself after people stopped donating to the charity because they spent less than two per cent of money saving lives abroad. People said they were outraged after it was reported that the organisation had spent £3.3 million on foreign projects, including creches in Bangladesh aimed at helping reduce the risk of vulnerable children drowning and full length swimsuits for devout Muslim women in Tanzania. Angry that some of their money was being spent on saving non-British lives, thousands of people took to Twitter to name the RNLI a ‘disgrace’ and claim their time supporting the charity was over. The news of overseas spending came after the RNLI announced 135 staff members were being made redundant. But the charity – which has saved over 142,700 lives since being founded in 1824 – responded to the backlash in a statement saying the UK remained its priority. A spokesperson said the RNLI is proud to use its ‘expertise, knowledge and influence to help others save lives across the world’ and just a fraction of its budget is spent doing so. They added that all annual expenditure was detailed in public reports and explained that all areas of work – including the international budget – were ‘being looked at and we are reducing costs wherever we can’. Mandatory Credit: Photo by David Taylor/REX (10366804b) The RNLI's 'Hurley Burly' on the River Thames RNLI Hurley Burly, London, UK - 19 Aug 2019 The RNLI’s ‘Hurley Burly’ on the River Thames in London (Picture: David Taylor/REX) The statement read: ‘The RNLI has always been dedicated to drowning reduction. The World Health Organization estimates that 320,000 people drown each year worldwide and we believe that with others, we should use our lifesaving expertise to try and help tackle this. ‘Our work so far has shown that simple, inexpensive solutions are very effective; a relatively low investment in overseas projects goes a long way and makes a big difference. ‘We currently spend less than 2% of the RNLI’s total annual expenditure on our international drowning prevention activity and we actively seek donations specifically for this work, including the Isle of Man’s International Development Fund and Department for International Development in the UK, both of which have made substantial donations to our international work this year. ‘Providing the very best search and rescue service in the UK and Ireland remains our priority but we are also proud to use our expertise, knowledge and influence to help others save lives across the world, particularly in countries where drowning rates are high. ‘Since 2012 there has been a steady increase in international expenditure that reflects the increase in the number of projects the team are involved in. ‘However, all areas of RNLI work – including our international budget – are being looked at and we are reducing costs wherever we can as part of an organisational wide programme of activity to get us back to living within our means.’ They added: ‘We greatly value our supporters and have not misled them. The RNLI’s international work has been reported in detail in our annual reports going back several years and information is also available from the RNLI website and regularly reported elsewhere. ‘The financial commitment to our international work is reported separately and there has been no sleight of hand.’ The explanation still wasn’t not enough to soothe some social media users’ concerns. Janice Atkinson wrote: ‘It’s unacceptable. We do not donate for this. You’re not an overseas organisation. You’re British, Royal and National, it’s in your title. ‘Proud to sponsor the medieval, male, patriarchal garb of the hijab and burkini? Women are dying when they take off their hijabs in Iran.’ Roger Stokes also named the international work ‘indefensible’ while Peter Rose said: ‘It’s an absolute disgrace. I will never donate another penny to you.’ Others said they would continue to support the RNLI’s work, arguing ‘every life matters’. Duncan Hill tweeted: ‘My Mum spent many years fundraising for the RNLI. I know she would have thought your international work brilliant. Keep it up.’ Ed Wilson added: ‘The British people like to think of themselves as charitable. This is a project to make the world a better place. With you all the way.’

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