Barry Dock and Penarth RNLI celebrate IWD 2025 at Mermaid Quay

The event brought together key organisations and local businesses to showcase the vital contributions of women within their teams. Barry Dock Lifeboat Station’s Shannon all-weather lifeboat was crewed by women from Barry Dock, along with a crew member from Penarth Lifeboat Station, highlighting the importance of visible role models in what is often seen as traditionally male-dominated fields.

Visitors to Mermaid Quay had the opportunity to meet representatives from other search and rescue organisations such as South Wales Police, Police Youth Volunteers, and the Royal Navy Reservists. Each organisation aimed to demonstrate the diverse career opportunities available to women in uniformed services and beyond, emphasising that representation matters.

Olivia Harrison, Barry Dock Lifeboat Station’s first woman Chair said:

‘It was really important for us to be involved today. With all that is going on in the world at the moment, we wanted to be visible because we really do believe that; "You can’t be what you can’t see." We were pleased to take part and to show every little girl that they can be a woman in search and rescue.’

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Photos:

• Volunteer Crew with the Chair – left to right - Nicky (Penarth), Rebecca, Katie, Olivia (Chair, Barry Dock), Liv, Amanda and Lisa (lifeboat Press Officer, Barry Dock).
• Crew at Mermaid Quay – left to right – Rebecca, Amanda, Nicky, Liv, Katie, Lisa

• The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the UK and Ireland.
• Barry Dock and Penarth lifeboat stations operate in the Vale of Glamorgan, launching lifeboats in all weather conditions to respond to emergencies.
• The RNLI’s OneCrew ethos recognises that every volunteer, staff member, and supporter is part of the same team, working together to save lives at sea.

For further information, please contact:

Lisa Newberry, Lifeboat Press Officer, Barry Dock Lifeboat Station, 07977 922889. Alternatively, you can contact Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith, Regional Communications Manager on [email protected] or 07977 728315, or contact the RNLI Press Office on 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, X, TikTok 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.