Million pound training fund helps local Walmer lifesavers learn vital skills
Four volunteer crew from Walmer RNLI have had a vital part of their crew training funded by Lloyd's Register Foundation.
Trainee Paramedic Kelsey Coe, Lucy Hallett, an Assistant Project Manager at the Port of Dover, Water Services Engineer Dan Wilmshurst and Ben Winslade, a self-employed builder recently travelled to the RNLI Training College in Poole to complete the charity’s Crew Emergency Procedures Course. They were joined by fellow volunteers from lifeboat stations from across the UK and Ireland.
The course sees volunteer crew being trained in a variety of crucial scenarios such as how to deal with fires aboard lifeboats, how to ‘abandon ship’ in the event of an emergency with a 4m jump into water, team survival swimming, coping in a life-raft in simulated darkness, how to right capsized inshore lifeboats and the importance of lifejackets. It also includes sessions on the correct use of flares, fire extinguishers and throw bags.
Speaking on their return the crew said ‘We can’t praise the training highly enough. It gave us the confidence to enable us to carry out our roles on our inshore lifeboats safely and securely in a variety of situations.’
The training was funded by Lloyd’s Register Foundation, a charitable foundation that helps to protect life and property by supporting engineering-related education, public engagement and the application of research. The Foundation has committed to funding the RNLI’s Crew Emergency Procedures course for a second 5-year period until December 2020. This additional funding of £1.06M brings their total support for RNLI crew training to just over £2.46M* since 2008. More than 3,000 RNLI volunteer crew members have now received the training thanks to Lloyd’s Register Foundation’s funding.
James Kilburn, Lifesaving Delivery Training Manager at the RNLI said, ‘We are so grateful to Lloyd’s Register Foundation for funding this vital part of our volunteer crews’ training.
‘Their support is very important to us and it’s fantastic how, so far, over 3,000 of our crew members have benefitted from Lloyd’s Register Foundation funding this part of their training. As only one in ten of our volunteer crew members comes from a professional maritime background, the Crew Emergency Procedures course is crucial in giving our volunteers the training they need and helping keep them as safe as possible while carrying out rescues. It gives volunteers the confidence to save lives even in the most challenging conditions.’
This donation is the latest in Lloyd’s Register Foundation’s relationship with the RNLI, which was recognised in 2010 when it received the Group Supporter Award from HRH Prince Michael of Kent in recognition of its valuable support of the charity.
Notes to Editors
§ *Lloyd’s Register Foundation funded £1M to the RNLI over 5 years from 2010–2015; and £400K over 2 years from 2008–2009, taking over the obligations of the Lloyd’s Register Educational Trust in 2013.
About Lloyd's Register Foundation
Lloyd’s Register Foundation is a charitable foundation which helps to protect life and property by supporting engineering-related education, public engagement and the application of research. www.lrfoundation.org.uk
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