RNLI supporters can now receive a text message to their mobile phones every time their local lifeboat goes out.
The SMS alerts are triggered by the same pager system that summons the lifeboat’s volunteer crew members.
This means that people who sign up to the service will know exactly when their local lifesavers have been called out.
However, unlike the crew members who can be summoned at any time, day or night, subscribers can choose what time of day they’d like to receive alerts and set a limit on how many messages they receive.
They can pick which lifeboat stations they want to follow and can keep in touch with more than one station. It is also possible to pause the service for a while, for example while going on holiday.
People who sign up to the alerts can specify how much they would like to pay for each message received and set a maximum amount they would like to spend each week.
A portion of the fee will go to the RNLI, so not only do the alerts keep the local community informed, they are also contributing to the real cost of the lifeboat launch.
The amount donated depends on your mobile operator, but everyone who signs up to the scheme will be helping to raise vital funds for the RNLI.
For more ways to raise money for the RNLI and information on how to take part in the charity’s biggest fundraising day go to www.rnli.org.uk/sosday.
