HMS Leigh - Southend lifeboat history and funding

The RNLI has been saving lives off of Southend-on-Sea and up and down the Thames since 1879, when it was launched by a team of horses. Since then the lifeboats have worked 365 days a year, through every weather and the Greater London was one of the 19 lifeboats which went to Dunkirk in 1940. Today there are 2 lifeboats, one Hovercraft stationed under the base of the pier and the Inshore Lifeboat launching from the Boathouse that was officially opened in July 2013. The RNLI is supported solely by public donation, so if we want people to be rescued, we need to keep supporting them.