A £200 donation plea from Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has sparked protests among local residents in Christchurch over fears the money will fund a “taxi service” for small boat migrants.
The Christchurch Residents Association (CRA) rejected the donation to the lifesaving charity after its president, John Pendrill, asked members to pass the financial request.
There were shouts of protest, reportedly someone saying, “Tell them to get lost!” and, “It will be used to save boat people!”
Mr Pendrill revealed a member of the CRA who also worked for the RNLI had asked the association if they could help the charity.
However, there was a negative response from about 10 members of the association, it has been reported.
“Not a penny of my money,” said one member abruptly.
Another claimed the RNLI had lost public support because of what they described as “all this about them saving migrants”.
Concerns were also raised about how the lifeboat charity is funded, with one CRA member suggesting it apply for a community grant from the town council instead.
Protesters gathered outside the RNLI’s headquarters on Valentine’s Day
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This idea was immediately shot down, it is reported, by saying, “I’m not paying for that out of my rates”.
The RNLI has repeatedly stated that it will help “anyone who is in trouble on the water”.
After a show-of-hands vote was held, there was an overwhelming majority who voted against making the £200 contribution to the lifeboat charity.
Several members cited financial pressures as the reason behind their decision, pointing to earlier discussions about increasing membership fees to the association.
The demonstration in Poole was met by counter-protesters
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The refusal comes amid growing controversy over the RNLI’s role in securing migrants crossing the English Channel.
Mr Pendrill said he would invite an RNLI representative to attend a future meeting and explain why funding is needed.
However, that proposal was met with derision from the group.
“He’ll get booed,” one woman reportedly replied.
The row came just before a Valentine’s Day protest happened outside the RNLI’s headquarters in Poole.
A group calling themselves the Poole Patriots and Bournemouth Patriots staged a protest outside the Poole RNLI, calling for it to “stop the taxi service”.
Their demonstration was focused on the charity rescuing asylum seekers attempting to cross the Channel.
However, the protesters were met with a counter-demonstration.
The group said roughly 130 of their members attended the event, far outnumbering the original protesters.
Poole-based MP, Neil Duncan-Jordan, said that Channel crossings accounted for 1.2 per cent of RNLI rescues in 2024.
In that year, the lifeboat charity saved 1,371 lives at sea.
The Coastguard holds primary responsibility for reducing those crossing the Channel on small boats, but the RNLI will assist anyone in trouble on the water.
GB News have reached out to both the CRA and RNLI for comment.