We need your help to keep a lifeboat operating in the Three Rivers Estuary and Carmarthen Bay
We’ve set up a new charity to run Ferryside Lifeboat that is taking over lifeboat operations in early 2025, but we now need to raise around £20,000 each year to cover the costs of running Ferryside Lifeboat – including insurance, building, crew safety equipment and our lifeboats.
We’re asking supporters to donate to the new charity, to allow us to continue operating from the outset.
We’re not running a big head office or paying professional fundraisers. All our team are volunteers and are not remunerated for their time – every penny donated goes directly to running the lifeboat.
There’s been a lifeboat in Ferryside since 1835.
The huge tides and dangerous sand bars in Carmarthen Bay make the nearby waters particularly treacherous – and mean the Three Rivers Estuary, the Towy, the Taf and Gwendraith are often inaccessible to rescue craft from outside of the bay.
Because of these dangers, there’s been a lifeboat in Ferryside for almost 200 years – run first by the RNLI and then, since 1963, by St John Ambulance Cymru.
We now enter a new phase as a completely independent charity, and we need help from you to keep this life-saving service operational.
Want to help?
Consider donating to support some of Ferryside Lifeboats costs…
Crewmember PPE
£289 is the yearly cost of buying and maintaining a crewmember’s Drysuit, Lifejacket, Locator Beacon and Flare.
Helmet
£110 is the cost of a crew helmet – essential for protection – which is replaced every 5 years and are shortly due for renewal.
Throwbag
£40 buys a throwback – great for reaching casualties in hard to access areas, and can be thrown accurately for long distances.
Can of Fuel
£16 buys a can of petrol (our lifeboat runs on super unleaded). A 10 litre tank will keep us on the water for around 30 minutes.
Or choose to make a pledge an amount of your own choice
Your Questions Answered
Running Ferryside Lifeboat is a huge undertaking that wouldn’t be possible without the support of our community and fundraisers. We welcome your questions about how the lifeboat is run – if there’s something you want to know, just get in touch and we’ll do our best to answer.
The unique geography of Carmarthen Bay makes the surrounding waters particularly hazardous. With powerful tides, shifting sandbars, and unpredictable conditions, the Three Rivers Estuary – where the Towy, Taf, and Gwendraeth rivers meet the sea – is often inaccessible to rescue craft from outside the bay. Ferryside Lifeboat is the only service capable of reliably reaching casualties in these waters across a wide range of tidal states.
Without Ferryside Lifeboat, lives would be at significantly greater risk.
Since 1965 we’ve been part of St John Ambulance Cymru – the only lifeboat in the organisation. Following long discussions with the St John management team, it was agreed that it would better serve both organisations core objectives should the Ferryside Marine Division separate from the wider St John family and move forward as a independent entity.
Since 1965 we’ve been part of St John Ambulance Cymru – the only lifeboat in the organisation. Following long discussions with the St John management team, it was agreed that it would better serve both organisations core objectives should the Ferryside Marine Division separate from the wider St John family and move forward as a independent entity. We approached the RNLI and other organisations, but the only option available to us to keep a lifeboat in Ferryside was to set up a new charity.
It costs around £20,000 each year to cover the costs of running the lifeboat – including insurance, building upkeep, crew safety equipment and maintenance of our lifeboats.
All money we raise from donations or from the sale of merchandise goes directly to Ferryside Lifeboat (minus credit card processing fees), and is spent ensuring that the boat is kept operational and running safely.
No. All our crew, support team and fundraisers are volunteers, giving up their time for free.
There are lot of ways to support the lifeboat, from volunteering as a crew member or fundraiser, organising an event that raises funds for us, or perhaps considering us in a legacy.
You can also make donations directly to the lifeboat from this website.