
Pwllheli RNLI appoints first ever female Launch Authority
A historic moment for Pwllheli RNLI as the 133-year-old lifeboat station appoints its first ever female volunteer Launch Authority since it was founded.
The Launch Authority (LA) role is the first critical link in saving lives at sea and they are responsible for the launch decision and ensuring the lifeboat crews are tasked appropriately.
The volunteer position is essential to ensuring that the RNLI sends the right lifesaving assets appropriate to the situation and that this is done safely and timely. Furthermore, they oversee and authorise launches for operational activities such as training and logistics.
Lyndsay Harrold, a keen sailor, joined Pwllheli RNLI in February this year, beginning her immediate training for the shore-based volunteer role of Launch Authority.
Celebrating these female first milestones at the RNLI is an important moment, as the 200-year-old charity strives to welcome more women into operational crew roles. Currently *14.2% of operational crew are female in the RNLI’s Wales, West and Isle of Man Region and Lyndsay now joins this trailblazing group of women in search and rescue.
Lyndsay also joins her husband Graeme, who has volunteered as a member of the shore crew at Pwllheli RNLI for many years. Following completion of her training Lyndsay said:
‘I’m delighted to join the fantastic volunteer crew and launch authority team we have here at Pwllheli RNLI, and I have really enjoyed both the training and getting to know everyone.
‘I’ve been a sailor all my life and have been forever grateful for the wonderful work the RNLI does in saving lives at sea, so it’s a real pleasure to be able to give something back.
‘My role is all about the decision to launch the lifeboats and ensuring our crews are tasked appropriately and safely, so it’s a big responsibility, and one that I’m honoured to have worked towards.
‘I’m particularly proud that I am joining my husband Graeme, who has been part of the volunteer crew in Pwllheli for 15 years as a Head Launcher and *SLARS Driver, and he is now training to be crew on the all-weather lifeboat.’
Pwllheli RNLI operates two lifeboats, an all-weather Shannon class and an inshore D class; to find out more about becoming an RNLI volunteer, both shore-based as Lyndsay Harrold’s Launch Authority role, or boat crew, please visit the RNLI website to find opportunities in your area at: www.rnli.org/support-us/volunteer
Notes to editors
- * Operational lifeboat crew include, boat crew, shore crew and station management.
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**SLARS (Shannon Launch and Recovery System).
- Pwllheli lifeboat station has been operating since 1891. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/pwllheli-lifeboat-station.
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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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