Donate now

Appledore’s RNLI’s First Ever All Female Exercise.

Lifeboats News Release

From the Launch Authority to trainee crew, Appledore RNLI had its first ever all female inshore lifeboat exercise last night, Tuesday 18 April.

RNLI/Simon Ellery

Appledore RNLI's first all female exercise - The Team
Ladies are nothing new to the RNLI, between the six ladies directly involved in the exercise, they totalled over 52 years of voluntary operational service with the RNLI.

Helming the lifeboat was Natalie Simmons, with Samantha Ayres, Lucy Lo-Vel and Elly White as crew. The Acting Head Launcher was Laura Davies and the evening’s Launch Authority was Niki Tait. Both Natalie and Sam are also all-weather Tamar lifeboat navigators, Laura is also a launch and recovery tractor driver for the boarding boat, and Niki, the station press officer. Five of the ladies are Lifeboat casualty carers.

As a routine Appledore RNLI Tuesday night exercise, successful navigation and search and rescue training was carried out within Bideford Bay, with all ladies taking the helm during the process.

Lifeboat Operations Manager Bob Meller says: ‘We are proud of all our operations teams at Appledore RNLI, men and women alike. However last night provided a unique opportunity to bring our ladies together in one exercise, a first for Appledore RNLI and a proud moment for all the crew’.

RNLI/Simon Ellery

Pre exercise briefing for Appledore RNLI's first all female crew exercise

RNLI/Simon Ellery

Appledore RNLI's First all female exercise - The Lifeboat Crew

RNLI/Simon Ellery

Appledore RNLI's first all female Lifeboat exercise

RNLI/Simon Ellery

Appledore RNLI's first all female lifeboat exercise

RNLI/Simon Ellery

Appledore RNLI's first all female exercise

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.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.