Celebrating the RNLI women in Queensferry this International Women's Day
Four inspirational women who volunteer for Queensferry RNLI gather at the lifeboat station to reflect on their time with the organisation and to celebrate the contribution of women in lifesaving roles for International Women’s Day.
Queensferry RNLI is one of Scotland’s busiest lifeboat stations and received over 100 callouts in 2025. The station has 25 operational volunteers, including one female Launch Authority and five female volunteer crew members, who together have over 500 hours of afloat experience.
Sarah Sim is a Navigator and trainee Helm, who undertook her 100th shout at the station last year. Sarah is married to volunteer helm, Jake, with the pair recently tying the knot. She thoroughly enjoys working alongside her husband and her female crew members.
She says: ‘Being a part of the Queensferry lifeboat crew is incredibly rewarding. We have a great group of female volunteers here, who are all so dedicated and they continually inspire me.
‘It’s great to see more women joining the RNLI, we all bring a range of different strengths to the team. But really, it doesn’t matter whether you’re male or female, at the end of the day you are one crew with one clear mission – to save lives at sea.’
Starting at Larne RNLI lifeboat station and following in her dad’s footsteps, Petra Surplus has been volunteering for the RNLI since 2018. She joined the team in Queensferry in 2023, recently qualified as a navigator and is now a trainee helm.
Tina Henderson has also been a valued member of the Queensferry crew since 2023 and joined the crew because of her love of the water. Her most memorable shout was rescuing 29 people cut off by the tide on Cramond Island.
Tina says: 'I love being out on the water in all weathers and the adrenaline rush that comes with it! Being part of the crew is great; we all look after one another. Even being out on the boat at 3am in a storm, you know you'll come home safe because of that trust we have in each other'.
Supported by thousands of women in fundraising, water safety, engineering and staff teams, 15% of RNLI operational crew are women. This includes afloat crew, shore crew, launch authorities and lifeboat operation managers.
Jill Hepburn, RNLI Head of Region in Scotland, said: ‘International Women’s Day is a powerful reminder that when we give our time, skills and support to one another, we all gain strength, confidence and opportunity.
‘At the RNLI, we know that creating a more diverse and inclusive organisation makes us stronger and more effective in our mission to save lives at sea.
‘We’re incredibly proud of all our frontline staff and volunteers like the women at Queensferry who continue to give so much in their selfless service of others.’
Notes to editors
- Queensferry RNLI lifeboat station has been operating since 1967.
- Supported by thousands of women in fundraising, water safety, engineering and staff teams, 15% of RNLI operational crew are women. This includes afloat crew, shore crew, launch authorities and lifeboat operation managers.
- The RNLI has 45 lifeboat stations in Scotland.
RNLI media contacts
Suzanne O’Brien, RNLI Regional Communications Placement for Scotland, 07483 494407, suzanne_o’[email protected]
Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Media Manager for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]
Richard Smith, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]
Alternatively, please contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336 789 or [email protected].
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.
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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
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