To the rescue! Broughty Ferry Lifeboat

Since I was in Broughty Ferry today, I took the time to walk down to the RNLI Lifeboat Station, and got a shot of this, one of two lifeboats that operate from here.

Broughty Ferry is home to one of the busiest Lifeboat stations in Scotland. Already this year they have been called upon ten times, and as recently as 2012, was the busiest station in all of Scotland.

It is remarkable that in this day and age when "market values" seem to have penetrated almost all areas of life, and not always for good, that this remains 175 years after its founding a volunteer based service.

Of course, they need a lot of money for equipment and training etc, but the only thing the volunteers get out of it is the chance to risk their lives in the service of others. That expresses values and communal ethics that could not be captured by any marketplace's payment system.

And risk their lives they do. Eight Broughty Ferry volunteers over the years have lost their own lives while trying to rescue others. What remarkable commitment to the care of others.

According to the latest information I have, some 92% of the income of RNLI comes from donations and legacies. I think its about time I made a donation for 2014.