Last weekend Dunbar and Eyemouth RNLI lifeboat stations along with St Abbs independent lifeboat station played host to a ground breaking Scottish Women in SAR (search and rescue) event.
Chris Mason and Richard Ellis
Troon RNLI Crew member Jenn Tweedie along with the other Women in SAR participants
Over 40 women from 24 lifeboat stations came together for a full weekend of afloat and shore-based exercises, skills workshops and shared learning to connect, inspire and support women involved in maritime rescue.
Jenn Tweedie travelled from Troon RNLI lifeboat station to the event taking part in sessions that included afloat training, practical shoreside sessions and talks from RNLI teams and external speakers.
Jenn has been on our lifeboat crew for 5 years now. She is a volunteer on both our all weather and inshore lifeboats as well as having the additional role of water safety officer. Since joining Jenn has completed training as D class helm, shore crew, launch vehicle driver, davit operator, casualty carer and navigator.
The initiative is the second of its kind in Scotland, after an inaugural event in Inverness last year. Launched in 2019 by the International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF), Women in SAR (WISAR) is a global movement open to all lifeboat stations, including the RNLI and independent operations.
Following the weekend Jenn said, ‘It was an invaluable opportunity to take part in a jam-packed weekend, meeting women from the RNLI around Scotland and from St Abbs independent station, taking part in workshops both onshore and afloat and attending informative and inspiring talks. I’m looking forward to sharing my learning with the rest of the station.’
Thank you to Dunbar, Eyemouth and St Abbs lifeboat stations for hosting this event and providing a great atmosphere for learning.
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.
Donate now
