
Queensferry RNLI celebrates International Women’s Day
The women who make life saving decisions at Queensferry RNLI are celebrating International Women’s Day.
Boat crew, shore crew, Deputy Launch Authority, fundraising, shop, visits, education, water safety, press officers. Since 1967, when the local lifeboat station was established, women have held key lifesaving roles at Queensferry.
Maggie, Deputy Launch Authority (DLA) and Community Presenter, has been volunteering with the RNLI since 2013. At that time, she set up and managed the Visits Team. Being a keen sailor and having some spare time on her hands, volunteering for the RNLI seemed like the best fit.
The role of Deputy Launch Authority requires being on call, with a pager, taking the call from the Coastguard and working with them to launch the lifeboat. In the role of Visits Officer and laterally Community Presenter, Maggie used her strength in public speaking to deliver crucial safety messages and inform people about the RNLI.
Queensferry Lifeboat Station has had women crew members for many years. Currently there are three, one of those is a trainee helm. Once she has completed her training she’ll become the first female helm in Queensferry RNLI and the others will follow in time.
Maggie says “Celebrating International Women’s Day – Queensferry is very proud of the strong presence of Women and delighted to have; not only the three female crew but also two DLA’s, two press officers, four in the Visits Team, many in Fundraising and those in the wonderful group in our RNLI shop”
Notes to editors
· The RNLI is the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
· The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea.
· Queensferry RNLI is based at Hawes Pier, South Queensferry, EH30 9TB. The lifeboat station was founded in 1967 and the volunteer crew use an inshore Atlantic 85 B class lifeboat Jimmie Cairncross.
· To learn more about the lifeboat station visit; https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/queensferry-lifeboat-station
Photo Credits
Photo 1 We come together and celebrate, the women of Queensferry RNLI
All photos should be credited RNLI/ Queensferry RNLI.
RNLI Media Contacts
Julie Dominguez, Lifeboat Press Officer, Queensferry Lifeboat Station, [email protected]
Adele Allan, Lifeboat Press Officer, Queensferry Lifeboat Station, [email protected]
Natasha Bennett, RNLI Regional Media Officer for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]
Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Media Manager for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]
RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789
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.