Ahead of International Women’s Day (8 March), around 80 women from across the RNLI, each fulfilling a variety of lifesaving roles, came together for the RNLI’s #WomenInSAR Training Week at the RNLI College in Poole, Dorset.
The action-packed five-day event aimed to bring together women from our RNLI lifeguard and lifeboat teams across the UK and Ireland to inspire, connect and share their experiences while learning new skills.
The event also included a panel discussion hearing from inspirational women including Olympic gold-medallist and Great Britain SailGP team member, Hannah Mills OBE, Abbie Croft, TUI Airline Pilot, Claire Deuchar, RNLI Chief Information Officer and RNLI Head of Region for Scotland, Jill Hepburn.
Attendees in afloat operational roles were put through their paces in the Crew Emergency Procedures course in the Sea Survival Pool and headed out on exercises on both RNLI inshore and all-weather lifeboats.
Volunteer lifeboat launch vehicle drivers attended the training ground at QinetiQ and got hands on with various vehicles and equipment, while Lifeboat Operations Managers (LOMs) and Launch Authorities (LAs) came together for shore-based sessions focusing on leadership and decision making. RNLI lifeguards attended a series of training sessions throughout the week focused on problem solving and leadership.
All attendees also took part in a mix of networking, confidence and leadership workshops.
Abbie Croft, TUI Airline Pilot said: ‘In aviation, similar to lifesaving, skill, teamwork, and resilience matter most, regardless of gender. To mark International Women’s Day, we celebrate the women of the RNLI who make a difference. We are here to break barriers and support each other, on land, at sea, and in the air.’
Jill Hepburn, RNLI Head of Region in Scotland, said: ‘The RNLI’s Women in SAR Training Week has been a fantastic opportunity for women to come together, share knowledge and grow stronger as a community, all while learning new lifesaving skills.
‘We’re working hard to create a more diverse RNLI and a crucial part of that is encouraging women into search and rescue roles. We’re incredibly proud of all our volunteers, lifeguards and staff who continue to support our mission to save lives at sea.’
To find out more about volunteering at the RNLI, including current vacancies, please visit: rnli.org/support-us/volunteer
