30 years of service at Weymouth RNLI with the sea in her veins
For Weymouth resident Jules Hutchings, the sea has always been part of her story.
Julia (Jules) Hutchings – 30 Years of Service with the Sea in Her Veins
For Weymouth resident Jules Hutchings, the sea has always been part of her story. Although born in Weymouth, Jules spent her early childhood in Killybegs, County Donegal, where her father worked as a trawlerman, on one of the fishing boats in Ireland’s busiest harbour. When the family later moved to Bridport, her connection to the coast only deepened. By the time she moved to Weymouth, she’d already graduated from canoeing at West Bay to her first 16ft clinker-built Falcon yacht.
Jules joined the Weymouth RNLI crew in 1995, after years of fundraising and encouragement from friends on the team. “They were advertising for volunteers, so I thought, why not? I was already used to being on the water, so it just felt right.”
Alongside her RNLI commitment, Jules has spent her career as a structural engineer, designing domestic and industrial projects across the local area. “I’ve always liked the maths side of it – working things out, sketching ideas, solving problems.” Her employer was supportive from the start, even allowing her to leave work if her pager went off. “You need understanding people around you,” she says. “Employers, family, friends – they all make it possible.”
Over three decades, Jules has served as Navigator, Assistant Mechanic, Radio Operator, Crew Member and previously as ILB crew. She has witnessed enormous cultural and practical change at the station. “When I first joined, there were still people who thought women shouldn’t be on the boats,” she recalls. “But when Andy Sargent became Coxswain in 1999, he made us one crew – no divisions. That was a turning point.”
Some memories still make her laugh. “When I joined, about 80% of the crew smoked, even on the boat! There were ashtrays everywhere. If we ran out during a shout, the Coxswain would open the bonded store and hand out more. You’d come back absolutely reeking of smoke. These days, hardly anyone smokes, and definitely not onboard.”
Her first shout remains vivid: a missing diver off Balaclava Bay. “Thankfully he was found safe and well, but it was my first real taste of being part of the team.” Since then, she has taken part in hundreds of rescues, from simple assists to long, demanding searches. “It’s as much about stamina as strength,” she explains. “Sometimes you handle multiple incidents in a row – you just keep going until everyone’s safe.”
Not every rescue is dramatic. She fondly remembers picking up two Polish casualties and their dog: “The dog wouldn’t sit still until someone told me the Polish word for ‘sit’. I said it – and the dog sat immediately!”
Jules has worn an RNLI pager for 30 years and feels strange without it. “It’s always beside my bed. I keep clothes ready, my shoes and keys by the door. It’s just habit now.”
Among her proudest moments was helping bring the new all-weather lifeboat Ernest and Mabel into Weymouth after pre-commissioning training. But when asked when she felt most proud, she smiles: “My five-year mark. That first milestone felt huge.”
Her advice to anyone thinking about joining the crew is simple: “Be prepared to give your time and commitment – everything else, we’ll train you for.”
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
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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.