When the RNLI saved my life, no one asked to see my passport

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A man and a child are disembarked from a British border force vessel in Dover (AP)

It is a tragedy that the RNLI and its volunteer crews have been unjustly targeted by a failed politician-turned-pundit and some unsavoury elements of the press, in a xenophobic campaign which seeks to damage the organisation’s reputation (and income).

As an occasional street collector for this selfless and often heroic body of men and women, I would like to point out there are no less than 431 lifeboats active for the RNLI, and whatever one’s views about specific rescues in the English Channel, these represent a tiny fraction of the overall activity.

The generosity of the British people, based in part on a deep understanding of our shared maritime history, but also in admiration at seeing quite ordinary people stepping forward and doing extraordinary things as RNLI crew around our coastline, is something we should be genuinely proud of.

The public choose to support this excellent work financially through donations or endowments. To see social media clogged up with spite and bile and entreaties to withdraw donations (on which the RNLI is wholly dependent), based on a dog-whistle response to a hate campaign over a few rescued migrants is profoundly depressing.

RNLI lifeboats have always sought to save lives at sea, whatever the nationality of that life, and whatever the reason it is at risk. Their crews do not question whether the life at risk has been foolhardy in some way and contributed to their own hazard, they just extend the hand of succour.

When the the Southwold inshore lifeboat saved my life, no one wanted to see my passport before they pulled me aboard.

Sean Waddingham

Kent

During my lifetime I have had to concede that little surprises me about the way the human race behaves. But the recent abuse of the RNLI has not just surprised me, it has deeply shocked me. The idea that anyone in danger on the sea should not be assisted to safety is unthinkable.

Just how much lower into the gutter of contempt for our fellow humans can some people sink? I comfort myself with the knowledge that those involved are relatively few in number, and that good deeds are done on a huge scale elsewhere each day.

Our shambolic government needs to make dramatic revisions to its “hostile environment” policy towards immigrants and asylum seekers. The desire to impress their support base of closet and not so closet racists is turning the UK into a “nasty” country.

Steve Edmondson

Cambridge

Surely, it was only the other week that some notable figures and their followers were criticising the Black Lives Matter movement and stridently asserting that “all lives matter”.

Now I see that the very same individuals are complaining about the brave RNLI crews who are assisting migrants on the English Channel.

Their rhetoric around all lives matter either wickedly excludes the most dispossessed and vulnerable people imaginable, or the words were completely disingenuous in the first place and just a feeble attempt to cover racism. Which is it to be?

Robert Boston

Kent

Mental health over medals

Full credit to Simone Biles for prioritising her mental health (Biles has created a legacy greater than any gold medal). However, it is only a few short weeks since Naomi Osaka did the same.

Perhaps it is not surprising that it is women who are at the forefront here, when the Olympics organisers still can’t move past the stage of seeing female competitors primarily as eye-candy for male spectators, as witness the fines given to the Norwegian beach handball team for not wearing bikini bottoms.

Rachael Padman

Newmarket

Since when has mental health been more important than a gold medal? Always! It is unfortunate that more people haven’t prioritised their mental and physical health over their sport, work or any performances.

The recent withdrawals of Simone Biles from some Olympic gymnastics events and Naomi Osaka from the Wimbledon tennis championships highlights the pressure top level sportspeople can face and yes, some of them can lead fantastic lives travelling the world, but not all of them.

There is so much that we have to worry about that perhaps we should all stop and ask for help when needed or even when we just want to talk to someone.

Wise choices Simone and Naomi.

Dennis Fitzgerald

Melbourne, Australia