The marine search and rescue work of the RNLI and HM Coastguard is recognised in a special Mayday - Rescue at Sea Royal Mail stamp issue which goes on sale today.
The special issue stamps mark the centenary of the adoption of S-O-S as the worldwide Morse code distress signal at sea, which came into force on July 1, 1908. To mark the 100th anniversary, Royal Mail has included the familiar sequence of dots and dashes along the top and bottom edges of the stamps.
The six stamp Mayday - Rescue at Sea issue will run to over 30 million stamps. Each stamp features a striking photograph that captures the testing weather conditions encountered by RNLI volunteer lifeboat crews and HM Coastguard rescue helicopters in saving lives at sea.
Four of the set of six stamps feature RNLI lifeboats: Appledore in Devon (46 pence stamp), St Ives in Cornwall (54p stamp), Tenby in Pembrokeshire (78p stamp), and Barra in the Western Isles of Scotland (1st class stamp).
The other two stamps in the Mayday - Rescue at Sea issue feature the work of HM Coastguard helicopters from Lee-on-Solent (69p stamp) and Portland (48p stamp).
The RNLI is an independent charity, which works with HM Coastguard to save lives at sea. The RNLIs lifeboats are launched by volunteer lifeboat crews at the request of HM Coastguard, a government-funded body, which coordinates search and rescue at sea. The RNLI relies on public donations to provide a 24-hour lifesaving search and rescue service around the coast of the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
The RNLI in-shore (St Ives) and all-weather (Appledore, Barra and Tenby) lifeboats featured in the stamps launched a total of 67 times in 2007, rescuing a combined total of 56 people.
The RNLI aims to raise up to £20,000 for the planned RNLI Memorial in Poole through sales of a set of first day covers created by Buckingham Covers. The RNLI Memorial will be the first official national tribute to the many RNLI lifesavers and fundraisers who have served the charity over the last 180-plus years - especially the 438 crew members who have died while saving lives at sea.
The special RNLI limited edition first day covers have been carried on the lifeboats featured on the stamps and the coxswains of Appledore, Barra, St Ives and Tenby lifeboat stations will also sign a limited number of these covers.
An exclusive RNLI limited edition stamp sheet featuring nine RNLI lifeboats and a lifeguard rescue watercraft from around the coast of the UK has also been created, of which £4 from each sale will be donated to the RNLI.
Julietta Edgar, Royal Mail Head of Special Stamps, says the photography captures the real drama of life saving at sea:
“We felt it was vital to capture the incredibly testing conditions the men and women of the RNLI often work under for the stamps to have the greatest impact. The new set is a special tribute to the RNLI as a charity, and the Coastguard, that will be seen by countless people on letters and parcels around the world.
“We hope the Mayday - Rescue at Sea stamps will remind everyone of the immense courage and bravery of all who are involved in maritime search and rescue.
Royal Mail Mayday - Rescue at Sea stamps are on sale in Post Offices from 13 March 2008. Special edition RNLI first day covers are on sale from Buckingham Covers.
