THE RNLI has been launched as the official charity for this year's Tour de Yorkshire.

All money raised through the partnership with the Tour de Yorkshire, which takes place from April 29 to May 1, will be re-invested into RNLI activity in Yorkshire.

Sir Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “We are very excited to be partnering up with the RNLI for this year’s Tour de Yorkshire. The RNLI provides life-saving services across Yorkshire and the UK and we know that many race spectators will have come across their work or may even be RNLI volunteers themselves.

“The race provides a great platform for the RNLI to fundraise and to raise awareness and we will be supporting them wholeheartedly over the next few months.”

Leesa Harwood, RNLI community lifesaving and fundraising director, said: "We are delighted to have been chosen as the official charity for the 2016 Tour de Yorkshire. The event takes place over the same weekend as the RNLI’s national fundraising campaign, Mayday, and will enable us to raise vital funds to save lives at sea.

“The RNLI relies on voluntary donations and without our supporters we simply wouldn’t be able to provide crews with the equipment and training they need, or fund our safety programmes to help educate children and adults alike about how to keep out of danger at the coast and on inland waterways.”

Amateur cyclists who enter the Maserati Tour de Yorkshire Ride, which is taking place on Sunday, May 1, will have the option to raise money for the RNLI when they register.

The RNLI was chosen as the official charity for the Tour de Yorkshire 2016 following a call for bids from interested charities. The charity was selected by the Welcome to Yorkshire Board.