Cookies policy

The Policy sets out what cookies are, why the RNLI uses Cookies on its websites and your options relating to their use.

Who are ‘we’?

In this policy, whenever you see the words ‘We’, ‘Us’ or ‘Our’, it refers to the RNLI, RNLI Shop and RNLI College. RNLI Shop and RNLI College are separate companies, each registered as a data controller in their own right.

RNLI Shop sells a range of goods and enters into corporate partnership arrangements; all of its profits are passed to the RNLI. RNLI College owns and operates Our crew and lifeguard training centre in Poole. Its facilities (including bedrooms, conference rooms, restaurant and bar) are used by Our people who come from all over the UK and Republic of Ireland for training. It markets any spare capacity of these assets to the public and to corporate clients, and passes all its profits to the RNLI. 

Both these companies are wholly owned and controlled by the RNLI. Many of the staff who work for these two companies – including all the company directors – are RNLI employees and the companies share many of the RNLI’s ‘head office’ functions such as marketing, legal and HR. 

The full legal information for each entity is:

RNLI is The Royal National Lifeboat Institution, a charity registered in England and Wales (209603), and Scotland (SC037736). Registered Charity number 20003326 in the Republic of Ireland

RNLI Shop is a trading name of RNLI (Sales) Limited, a company registered in England and Wales at West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1HZ; Reg. Co. number 2202240

RNLI College Limited is a company registered in England and Wales at West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1HZ; Reg. Co. number 7705470

When We provide services, We want to make them easy, useful and reliable. When services are delivered on the internet, it sometimes involves placing small amounts of information on your device, such as your computer or mobile phone. These include small files known as cookies. They cannot be used to identify you personally.

What are ‘cookies’?

In simple terms a cookie is a small piece of information sent from Our website to your computer to help Us recognise it quickly. If you prefer not to accept a cookie, you can navigate the websites like a normal user. Any information gathered through the use of cookies is compiled on an aggregate, anonymous basis.

Do I have to agree to cookies?

Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but if you prefer, you should be able to change your browser to prevent that. You should read the information that came with your browser software to see how you can set up your browser to notify you when you receive a cookie. This should then give you the opportunity to decide whether to accept it. However, you may not be able to take full advantage of a website if you do so. Cookies are specific to the server that created them and cannot be accessed by other servers, which means they cannot be used to track your movements around the web. If you do not change your browser settings and continue to use Our websites We will infer that you have consented to Us using cookies for the purposes set out below.

Why do We use cookies on our websites?

We use cookies so that We can give you a better experience when you return to Our websites. In particular We use cookies to: 

• avoid lengthy registration/personalisation of the site each time you visit and personalise it to suit your requirements

• recognise you when you login and make it easier for you to access your account information

• estimate Our audience size and patterns

• ensure that you are not asked to register twice

• control how often visitors see similar adverts

• track preferences and to improve and update Our websites

• track the progress and number of entries in some of Our promotions and contests.

Where can I get more information?

Further information about cookies can be found at Interactive Advertising Bureau or Out-Law's.

Our websites may feature embedded ‘share’ buttons to enable users to easily share articles with their friends through a number of popular social networks. These sites may set a cookie when you are also logged in to their service. We do not control the dissemination of these cookies and you should check the relevant third party Website for more information about these.