Last updated 05:18, Friday, 28 November 2008

WITH reference to “Silloth’s new saviour of the seas” (The Cumberland News, November 21).

Rescue team: The launch of the new RNLI lifeboat at Silloth this month

In view of the generous legacy left by Don Wilkinson to enable the “Don and Elaine Wilkinson” to be purchased and the effort made by the community to raise £33,000 in one year to pay for training on the Atlantic 85 I would like to make the public aware that the RNLI could see the price of using its VHF radio emergency frequencies rise to £250,000 per year due to new charges being proposed by Ofcom, the communications regulator. Presently the charity pays £48,000 per year – a discounted rate of 50 per cent.

Relying as it does on donations, this could have a disastrous impact on fundraising.

A petition has been launched against the proposed new charges – interested parties can log on to voice their disquiet at these proposed measures on http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/RNLI-RF-licences/

This matter needs to be addressed urgently to enable monies voluntarily raised to be available to buy and equip new boats and, ultimately, save lives.

The government relies on the RNLI to provide a search and rescue service at a cost of £124 million per year but they also want to charge them for doing so.

MRS DOROTHY WALKERSyke RoadWigton