Million-pound training fund helps local lifesaver learn vital skills at St.Agnes
Three volunteer crew members from St.Agnes RNLI Lifeboat Station have had a vital part of their crew training funded by Lloyd’s Register Foundation.
Liam Richards, Jane Buckroyd and Lucie McNeil, from St Agnes, recently travelled to the RNLI College in Poole, Dorset to complete the charity’s Crew Emergency Procedures course.
Liam was inspired to join as a volunteer crew member for the charity after a watching crew members rush down and race to get the boat out from his summer job in Breakers beach café. The course in Poole was taught with great knowledge and the trainers were dedicated to answering any questions. Liam was happy to find out that once finishing the course he was able to update his Personal Survival Techniques certificate (STCW95), as he is currently training to be an Officer of the Watch (OOW) in the Merchant Navy.
The course sees volunteer crew being trained in a variety of crucial subjects 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 a capsized inshore lifeboat, and the importance of life jackets. It also includes sessions on the correct use of flares, fire extinguishers and throw bags.
Their Crew training took place in the Sea Survival Centre at the RNLI College, where he was joined by other RNLI volunteer crew members from around the UK and Ireland.
Jane commented after the course “Obviously as RNLI crew, I hope never to find myself in a Sea Survival situation but if ever I did, this Crew Emergency Procedures course has equipped me with vital knowledge and skills that could not only save my own life but also those of others. The course was delivered by fantastic trainers in an engaging and interactive manner in state of the art facilities. It was a very fun and extremely valuable couple of days”.
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 benefited 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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Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity 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 146,000 lives.
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