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The RNLI has issued a disappointing statement to say that a decision to disassociate from a foxhunt fundraiser in December was not, as previously stated, due to the cruel activity not aligning with its values.
The lifeguard and lifeboat charity received widespread praise late last year after announcing that it had rejected a Dungarvan Foxhounds fundraiser for Helvic and Dungarvan RNLI. The event coincided with a hunt meeting at An Rinn, with a notice on a hunt-related Facebook page outlining that “members of the RNLI will hold a bucket collection boosted by a cap donation from the [hunt] club on the day”.
After being informed about the cruelty of fox hunting, the RNLI stated at the time that “no donation for this event has been received by the charity and members of the fundraising branch will not be holding a bucket collection at the event. The RNLI reserves the right to decline donations that are not in keeping with the purpose and the values of the institution. We will not be accepting any donations from this activity or related activities, now or in the future.”
In an update recently issued to ICABS, the charity stated that "in our initial response in relation to the Dungarvan event, we wrongly cited the decision had been made due to the activity not aligning with our values - this is not correct and we have apologised for this mistake and issued a revised statement but some media outlets have chosen to ignore this. To be clear, we did not receive a donation from this event. We did not actually decline a donation because we were not offered a donation. We were offered an opportunity to collect at an event and we declined to participate."
"Unfortunately, the decision to decline fundraisers attending the Dungarvan event was not escalated through the correct channels, nor were the lines used reviewed to check their current suitability and relevance – these matters have been picked up and policies reviewed to avoid a recurrence," the statement added.
A spokesperson for the charity went on to say: "We appreciate that fox hunting is a polarising subject that evokes strong feelings and debate. As an independent charity, it is not for the RNLI to be active in this debate and our focus remains on our core purpose of saving lives at sea. We will remain neutral on this subject. The RNLI will look at each donation on a case-by-case basis, in accordance with our Donation Acceptance Policy. It is very rare we decline a donation and only if it would be unlawful to accept it (e.g. the organisation knows that the gift comprises the proceeds of crime or that accepting the donation would be detrimental to the achievement of the purposes of the organisation, as set out in our constitution)."
This is at odds with statements issued in December which were widely quoted in the media, including the Telegraph of 29 December 2023 and the Irish Independent of 30 December 2023.
These articles headed "RNLI turns down donation from Irish fox hunt" and "RNLI turns down donation from Dungarvan hunt club" noted that "bosses at the [RNLI] institution's head office in Poole, Dorset, wrote to the hunt to explain that the charity would accept donations only from organisations 'in keeping with the values of the institution'".
One of the reports quoted a spokesman for the RNLI as saying: "The RNLI was approached by a local hunt club in Ireland who wished to hold a bucket collection with fundraising branch volunteers at an upcoming live fox hunt. This request was considered by the RNLI and declined. As a charity that saves lives at sea and on inland waters and which operates across both the UK and Ireland, the RNLI reserves the right to decline donations. The practice of fox hunting is one that evokes strong feelings in many, including our volunteers and supporters, from all sides of the debate. Fox hunting is illegal in many of the regions where the RNLI operates, and while it continues in some areas, the charity has MADE THE DECISION TO DECLINE DONATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACTIVITY and therefore remove the ask on volunteers who may not wish to support a fundraising request of this nature."
There was also media coverage of the RNLI's admirable stance in the Irish Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Dungarvan News and Star, etc. This prompted an unprecedented level of positive response from individuals and groups, many of whom pledged to make donations to the RNLI.
The Ulster SPCA tweeted on 4th January: "Thank you @RNLI for your leadership on not accepting donations from a fox hunt fundraiser."
The Protect the Wild group wrote in a post: "The lifeboat charity RNLI has shown its integrity after it rejected money from a fox hunting fundraiser."
Ban The Hunt Northern Ireland commented: "Well done RNLI. We fully support your stance on refusing donations from the bloodthirsty fox hunts. We are behind you and will be sending our own donations to say thank you. Much respect to you all and keep up the amazing work!"
The Hunt Saboteurs Association added: "We celebrate this clear message that hunts cannot buy back the public favour that they have lost through gestures like this."
Among the thousands of positive comments from the public were: "When you think the RNLI can't be more amazing. Turning down donations from a fox hunting group. Thank you and have donated for this reason", "Just when I thought I couldn’t love the RNLI more! As a rural lass who loves foxes, and grew up by the sea, this really makes my heart sing", "The RNLI have a moral compass in turning down donations from the proceeds of blood sport", "Fair play to the RNLI. Fox hunting is barbaric" and "Glad to hear it! Well done RNLI."
A tweet sent out by ICABS, thanking the RNLI for its decision, reached 190,000 people. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with several people saying they had donated or were going to donate as a result.
A tweet posted by Chris Packham on 28 December 2023 garnered over 600,000 views. Mr Packham stated: "Wake up! The whole wide world is sick of the barbaric, anachronistic, entitled and abject cruelty to wildlife still currently perpetuated by hunting . Top work by the RNLI, a charity dedicated to saving lives - not wasting them." Again this attracted a huge level of positive reaction, with comments including "I’ve just set up a monthly donation to thank RNLI because they’re awesome & I appreciate them. Thank you for letting us know about this @ChrisGPackham. I hope lots of us donate to them in honour of their decision to refuse money raised by the barbaric hunt" and "Wow! That's made my week. An organisation with ethics, morals, values & in tune with strong public opinion. Superb @RNLI", "Thank you @RNLI will make a donation to you for having morals and supporting our amazing foxes not the barbaric outdated hunt" and "What an excellent principled organisation they are. I shall donate."
As noted by BambooFundraising, "the RNLI trustees decided to put ethics before income and the charity bagged a ton of positive coverage as a result."
It is disappointing that the RNLI backtracked on its original assurance that it would not accept a foxhunting-related donation due to the cruel activity not aligning with its values.
The RNLI should have no hesitation in adopting a policy of rejecting any donation from a fox hunt. The charity's fundraising event "terms and conditions" make it clear that organisers of fundraisers "agree that you will not do anything to harm the RNLI’s good name and reputation". We believe that any association of the RNLI name with a group involved in an activity that is so cruel, it is already illegal in the England, Scotland and Wales, risks damaging its good name.
It had been pointed out to the RNLI that fox hunting is one of Ireland's worst forms of cruelty to animals. It involves releasing a pack of hounds to chase foxes. When caught, the foxes are knocked off their feet, mauled, bitten, eviscerated and pulled apart. When a fox attempts to find refuge underground, hunt terriermen are called in. They send terriers down after the fox. The fox is attacked and cornered while the hunters dig the clay away from above. The injured and squealing fox is then pulled out and brutally killed. Witness the barbarity at https://youtu.be/cbLKs9pgQno?list=PL9C1CFBF3F2ACB535
A RED C opinion poll carried out in 2019 confirmed that a 77 per cent majority of Irish citizens want fox hunting banned, with just 12 per cent disagreeing with a ban.
SEE ALSO
RNLI rejects fox hunt fundraiser
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2023/12/21/rnli-rejects-fox-hunt-fundraiser/
RNLI turns down donation offered by fox hunter group
Irish Daily Mail
https://www.pressreader.com/ireland/irish-daily-mail/20240101/281655374897517
RNLI rejects donations from Irish fox hunt's New Year charity event
The Irish Mirror
https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/rnli-rejects-donations-irish-fox-31734053
RNLI rejects donations from Dungarvan hunt
Dungarvan News and Star
https://waterford-news.ie/2023/12/23/rnli-rejects-donations-from-dungarvan-hunt/
CHARITIES THAT HAVE REJECTED FOX HUNT FUNDRAISERS
Pieta House was thanked for rejecting a 2016 “Hunt for Light” hunt fundraiser in Tipperary. A spokesperson commented at the time: “We cannot be seen to have an association with or endorsement of bloodsports, and so we feel it would be inappropriate for us to benefit from or to be associated with a hunt. People across Ireland are so incredibly supportive of Pieta House, but in some cases – such as this one – the manner of the fundraiser is incompatible.” https://www.pieta.ie/support-our-work/donate/
The Hope Foundation also responded positively to an ICABS appeal and said no to a fundraiser organised by a hunt in Cork. The charity which works to help street and slum children in India told ICABS that it had contacted the organisers of the fundraiser to say “we do not wish to have this fundraiser carried out in the name of HOPE.” https://www.hopefoundation.ie/donate/