Savvy Navvy adds RNLI beach data to app

Marine navigation app Savvy Navvy has added Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeguarded beach data to its app ahead of the charity’s International Lifeguard Appreciation Day on Friday 31 July.

All RNLI lifeguarded beaches across the UK and Ireland are now included in the app. The new data appears alongside RNLI lifeguard station locations already shown within the platform, giving users information on both lifeguarded beaches and station locations in one place. The RNLI and Savvy Navvy have partnered on water safety initiatives since July last year.

“As the RNLI celebrates 25 years of lifeguarding with a global celebration campaign, it felt like the right moment to bring this data together and make it easy for boaters and beachgoers alike to find a lifeguarded beach, alongside the already visible lifeguard stations. We appreciate all the lifeguards and are proud to continue to support the RNLI in their vital mission to save lives at sea and promote water safety,” says David Cusworth, head of partnership and innovation at Savvy Navvy.

RNLI lifeguards patrol more than 245 beaches across the UK and Channel Islands. To mark the organisation’s 25th anniversary of lifeguarding, the RNLI is holding a range of events and activities on Friday 31 July to highlight the work of its lifeguards. Since RNLI lifeguards first patrolled UK beaches in 2001, they have responded to more than 333,000 incidents, aided more than 440,000 people and saved more than 2,000 lives.

Steve Hulbert, senior commercial partnerships manager at the RNLI, says: “The RNLI’s people are its most valuable asset, and we’re delighted that it is recognised by our trusted partner Savvy Navvy offering their brilliant navigation app. It’s so heartening when companies recognise the commitment of RNLI people and reward them for the courageous work they do.”

More than 1,400 RNLI operational volunteers have registered Savvy Navvy accounts for personal use since the partnership began last year. The company also donates a proportion of subscriptions sold through selected RNLI shops to the charity.

Savvy Navvy has recorded more than three million downloads worldwide. The app includes route planning and estimated arrival times based on real-time weather, tides, waves, chart data, vessel specifications and local regulations. It is available for boaters, kayakers, paddleboarders and jetski users.