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.
No. All our crew, support team and fundraisers are volunteers, giving up their time for free.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.