DURING the course of today, lifeboats are likely to have rescued some 20 people from coastal waters around the UK and Ireland. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution's chief executive, Andrew Freemantle, said: “There is a nobility about these people who go out in these little boats in appalling conditions to rescue other people. It represents the best of British – to give and not count the cost.”

Last year the RNLI rescued 7,834 people. Another 10,000 were helped by its recently established beach-lifeguard division. The creation of the latter and the opening of the RNLI training college both occurred during Freemantle’s 10 years at the helm.

The RNLI, founded in 1824, operates its lifeboat services without a penny from the government. Most of its annual £124m budget comes from legacies and fundraising – though it does get a little financial aid from the Irish government.

Special projects such as the first memorial to commemorate lifeboat crew lost at work – to be unveiled late next year – must be funded from other sources. Last summer Freemantle, 64, did his bit. Not normally a cyclist, he undertook an 1,100-mile sponsored bike ride from the RNLI headquarters in Poole, Dorset, to Rome to raise £57,000 towards the sculpture.

Before moving to the RNLI in 1998, Freemantle had a career in the British Army and saw combat in Vietnam with Australian special forces. He later ran the Scottish Ambulance Service.

The RNLI pays him just over £133,000 a year to oversee its 1,100 staff, 26,000 fundraising volunteers and 7,000 men and volunteers who are in the front line at 235 lifeboat stations. His office overlooks the RNLI’s training college, opened five years ago by the Queen. All lifeboat crew attend courses here, reflecting the RNLI’s saying: “Train one, save many.”

Although he can see Poole harbour from his desk, Freemantle’s forays onto the water are infrequent because his week involves long hours in meetings. But he does rub shoulders with visiting crews in the college cafeteria. Last week he addressed the Fire Services College – they collaborate on flood rescue operations – and prepared for an imminent visit to China. The Chinese Rescue and Salvage Bureau has bought 20 lifeboats from the RNLI.

“We are regarded as providing a gold standard worldwide for sea-rescue services,” said Freemantle.

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