A female first as Laura becomes latest Dunbar RNLI helm

Laura, 43, the longest serving female volunteer on the crew, is the first woman at Dunbar Lifeboat Station to pass out in a command role via the RNLI’s new training framework.

A paramedic with the Scottish Ambulance Service, Laura will mark 20 years on the crew next year and today she was put through her paces during an assessment that tested her knowledge and ability to deal with a number of challenging scenarios.

Originally from Cockburnspath, in the Scottish Borders, Laura was inspired to join the crew by a desire to help people. She said: ‘I grew up living by the coast and always wanted to help people out on the water.’

Among her most memorable ‘shouts’ was the rescue in 2020 at Tyninghame Beach of Fergus the flat-coated retriever, who found himself cut off by the tide after chasing a bird. Laura said: ‘That one sticks in the mind because it was an unusual tasking and it ended up being shown on the BBC’s Saving Lives at Sea programme. Plus, it had a happy outcome.’

Laura is married to fellow crew member Gordon Kirkham, who recently passed out as a coxswain on the all-weather lifeboat John Neville Taylor, and she joins Gordon and volunteers Adrian Lavery, Jamie Forrester, Chris Woods and Alan Blair as helms on the D class David Lauder lifeboat.

Laura said: ‘It’s been a long time coming to pass out as helm but I’m looking forward to the challenge of being in command of the lifeboat.’

Dunbar Lifeboat Operations Manager Ian Wilson said: ‘Everyone at Dunbar Lifeboat Station was delighted to see Laura pass out as a helm – the first female at the station to qualify through the new Operational Competence Framework training programme. We are looking forward to seeing our two lifeboats afloat with Laura in charge of one and husband Gordon commanding the other!’

ends

Notes to editors

· Established in 1808, 16 years before the formation of the RNLI, Dunbar Lifeboat Station is one of the oldest in Scotland and is located on the south side of the mouth of the Firth of Forth.

· Since its formation, its volunteer crews have been honoured with 12 awards for gallantry.

· It operates two lifeboats – the Trent class all-weather lifeboat (ALB) John Neville Taylor, moored at Torness Power Station, and the D-class inshore lifeboat (ILB) David Lauder, which launches from Dunbar Harbour.

· A file photo of Dunbar’s lifeboats can be viewed here.

RNLI media contacts

Douglas Wight, Dunbar RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, [email protected]

Alexander Williams, Dunbar RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer [email protected]

Richard Smith, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]

Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office (available 24 hours) 01202 336789 [email protected]

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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.

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