Cardigan RNLI’s first all-female lifeboat exercise
From launch to recovery: for the first time in the history of Cardigan RNLI, the station’s D class inshore lifeboat has been launched, out on exercise and recovered by their 12 female volunteer crew ahead of International Women’s Day (8 March).
Currently, 15% of the RNLI’s operational crew - consisting of afloat crew, shore crew, launch authorities and lifeboat operations managers - are women. This International Women’s Day, the RNLI are celebrating all the incredible women who contribute to saving lives at sea and are hoping to inspire the next generation of lifesavers.
Cardigan Lifeboat Station in Ceredigion, west Wales currently have 12 operational volunteer lifeboat crew who are women. Meaning their operational crew is 33% female, 18% higher than the national average.
The station has a history of breaking boundaries, in 2011 Cardigan RNLI were the first lifeboat station in Wales to respond to a shout with an all-female lifeboat crew. The station is now celebrating not only being able to operate with a female lifeboat crew, but the entire process of launching, operating and recovery of the D class lifeboat can be executed by a crew of women.
These women have a variety of roles at the station, consisting of seven lifeboat crew (including one helm), 11 of the 12 are shore crew, two launch authorities, three Land Rover (launch) drivers – one of whom also drives the bendy tractor to launch the Atlantic 85 lifeboat.
Madeleine Barber (21) recently passed out as a D class Lifeboat Helm at Cardigan Lifeboat Station. Madeleine qualifying as a helm now allows for Cardigan’s D class to be launched and recovered exclusively by a crew of women.
Madeleine said:
‘Cardigan Lifeboat Station is a big part of my life, passing out as a helm and being a part of the crew means a lot to me. I’m continuing a family legacy, as my mum was a launch authority and my dad and brother are already helms at the station.
‘I’m proud to be one of several women to helm Cardigan’s lifeboats over the last few years. International Women’s Day is a great opportunity to highlight the achievements of women in search and rescue and I hope that more women are inspired to get involved.’
This week a number of Cardigan RNLI crew members are attending the Women in Search and Rescue Training Week at the RNLI College in Poole, Dorset. Amongst this group is, Louise Francis, Launch Authority, Head Launcher, Launch Vehicle Driver, Crew and Shore Crew at Cardigan Lifeboat Station, she said:
‘I’m so proud to be a crew member at a station where we can launch our D class with an all- female crew. As one of the longest serving volunteers at Cardigan RNLI with 17 years of service, it is wonderful to see so many women increasingly getting involved in operational roles.
‘Historically, operational roles like lifeboat crew have been perceived as roles for men. I hope we can continue to break boundaries showing we deserve a place on the lifeboat just as much as our fellow male lifeboat volunteers - and in doing so, inspire future generations of lifesavers to join this incredible charity.’
Notes to editors:
- Interviews are available on International Women’s Day (8 March) with Madeleine Barber and Louise Francis, please enquire using the contact details below.
- A collection of images are available to download here, please credit Leia Morrison: https://source.rnli.org.uk/share/865B37C8-8F29-414C-89BF5BDD68419474/
Media Contacts
For more information, please contact Anya Walton Communications Placement at [email protected] or call 07977468268. Alternatively, contact the RNLI Press Office at [email protected] or call 01202336789.
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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