
RNLI celebrates International Day for Women in Maritime
Women have been saving lives at sea, launching and building lifeboats, and playing an integral part in maintaining the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) as a world-class lifesaving service.
The RNLI is using International Day for Women in Maritime to recognise and celebrate the role female staff and volunteers at the charity are playing in saving lives at sea. As an organisation which aims to be inclusive and welcoming to all it is delighted to see a growing number of women in maritime positions.
Across the RNLI, there are numerous different maritime roles, from the frontline as lifeboat crew to launching our lifeboats and making sure they are in the best possible condition for our lifesavers. Fiona Kibby from Dunbar RNLI, one of the RNLI’s lifeboat stations in Scotland, was recently appointed as a launch authority. This means she assesses sea conditions and ensures Dunbar lifeboats are safe to launch to someone in difficulty.
Fiona spoke about her opportunity that she could not turn down;
‘I am very proud to be joining such an amazing team at Dunbar. They have many years of experience and although it’s daunting at first, I have no doubt that I will be supported to become an integral part of the launch authority team.’
This day celebrates the work women tirelessly put in across the maritime industry. The RNLI covers a vast series of operational areas due to the nature of the organisation, there are female navigators, crew members and helms, the list goes on.
Fiona also added, “When I took this role, I knew what profile I was creating for myself, being a female launch authority has allowed me to carry a sense of pride. I have family members who were ecstatic when I took this on, all I can do is hope I can inspire them to one day do the same.”
The RNLI hope to encourage more female volunteers to join the charity all over the UK and Ireland.
Find out more on how to get into volunteering for the RNLI here
RNLI media contacts
For more information please contact:
Ella Bowler - National Media Engagement – [email protected] - 07790772788
Press Office – [email protected] - 01202 336789
RNLI online
For more information, please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the RNLI News Centre.
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.