RCA reveal winning designs of the 2022/23 Grand Challenge

At the end of last year we asked you to help take part in an exciting community collaboration project with the Royal College of Art (RCA) centred around ocean sustainability.

We had a fantastic response and a huge thank you goes out to every one of you who volunteered your time to take part. We had RNLI people come forwards from all across the UK, as well as a range of RNLI roles – both volunteers and staff.

RNLI Sustainability Manager, Anna Frizzell, said:

‘As a charity we are here to save lives at sea and promote safety in and around the water in communities around the UK and Ireland. This collaboration with the RCA has enabled our people to share personal insights into their local coastal sustainability challenges.

‘Collaboration projects like these would not be possible without your willingness to give up your time and take part, so thank you. It’s a great opportunity for us to look at the insights and ideas that have been produced, helping us to deliver more climate-resilient lifesaving services and contribute to more sustainable coastal communities.’

How the challenge unfolded

At the beginning of this year 97 RCA student groups were partnered with an RNLI contact, giving the students a direct link into the diverse coastline communities across the UK. The student groups contacted their RNLI representative and arranged their research plans, with many groups visiting their assigned locations in person and meeting their RNLI collaborator.

After carrying out their research they began working away on their projects and all of the student groups were required to submit a video presentation of their final design projects. Twelve projects were selected for the shortlist and then three winners and two runners up were selected from the shortlist.

You can watch a short film about the project over on the RCA YouTube Channel, where our Chief Executive Mark Dowie talks about the innovation that comes from collaborating with others and how it can help guide the future of our lifesaving charity and help us reach our sustainability ambitions.

Sarah got stuck in

RNLI Pay and Reward Manager, Sarah Hutley, has been working at the RNLI for just over a year and a half. She said:

‘I’m a little eco-warrior at heart, doing what I can to keep my local community clean and the planet healthy. I jumped at the opportunity to get involved in something outside of my day job – get out from behind my desk and support the RNLI in a different way.

‘I live in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex and was paired up with two groups of students who I brought along to my local lifeboat station at Southend-on-Sea as part of their research visit. I must give special thanks to Chiswick RNLI Station Manager, Wayne Bellamy, and Deputy Launching Authority from Southend, Barrie Daykin, for their warm welcome and knowledge sharing. I think I learnt as much as the students themselves and it was a great way for me to build a connection with my local RNLI station. I think station visits should be included as part of everyone’s induction!

‘This experience really placed a spotlight on how forward-looking the RNLI is in its approach and the importance of us staying connected with the ever-changing external environment. Engaging in innovative, proactive and diverse initiatives like this will surely help secure our future for the next 200 years.'

David’s interest was sparked

David Richmond-Coggan, Water Safety Adviser and Chairman of the Christchurch and Bournemouth Fundraising Branch, has been volunteering for our charity for 14 years. David said:

‘I wanted to take part in the challenge as I thought it would be interesting – I was right! I was contacted by the student group’s team leader and arranged a meeting over Zoom. During the meeting I talked about a variety of issues affecting the marine environment around Bournemouth Bay.

‘Listening carefully to the direction their interests seemed to be taking, I talked about the damage caused to the sea grass beds off Swanage by the cruise ships anchoring and how these areas are so important for marine life, particularly the seahorses. They really homed in on this as a topic for their project. The group's conclusions and proposals for future action were most impressive. It was a privilege and a pleasure to assist them.’

Fiona inspired a winning idea through local insight

RNLI Fundraising Volunteer and Artist, Fiona Campbell, hosted five students in Oban, on Scotland's west highland coast. She said:

‘I'm a pretty new recruit to volunteering, although I've supported the RNLI all my life. After initial contact with my student group over Zoom I sent them a selection of links and videos along with a summary of life by the sea in Oban. It included details of our world-class Scottish Association of Marine Science (SAMS) which is part of the University of the Highlands & Islands. The students decided to make the long journey to Oban, and six days later they were here!

‘I took them to visit pioneering local charity Seawilding, which is using volunteers to plant seagrass meadows in Loch Craignish – and seed them with native Scottish oysters; then to see and hear about the busy life of Oban's all-weather lifeboat Mora Edith MacDonald. The students were welcomed by SAMS and received an excellent presentation from the Director of the Seaweed Academy and saw round the Ocean Explorer Centre. Then it was the students' turn to interview me about how local people might be encouraged and enabled to play a part in respecting, conserving and restoring the marine environment.

‘Volunteering for this project was very interesting and worthwhile. I met some great young people and learned a lot both from them, and about my local area, which we can all take very much for granted.’

Inspired by her involvement in the project, Fiona has created a 'storytelling' sketchbook of the experience, with some beautiful illustrations. Fiona’s group went on to be crowned the 2023 Grand Challenge first-place winner with their project Sea Seeds.

The winning projects

The final projects all centred around improving the resilience of UK coastal communities and address a range of topics including increasing sea grass growth, reducing the erosion of seabeds, and upcycling abandoned boats.

The winners were chosen by a judging panel including representatives from the RCA, the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, alongside Anna Frizzell, our Sustainability Manager, and Claire Deuchar, RNLI Chief Information Officer.

You can read the detailed winners list on the RCA website.

First Place: Sea Seeds

Sea Seeds is a circular eco-hobbying concept developed from Oban, Scotland that enables kayakers, sailors and other water enthusiasts to give back to the environment by planting new seagrass while enjoying the ocean. It incorporates a brand-new biodegradable seed casing made from seaweed algae and crushed oyster shell to make planting more efficient.

Student group: Hugo Garcia (MA/MSc Innovation Design Engineering), Shenyang Xi (MA Design Products), Shanice Palmer (MA Fashion), Xiaoxu Cheng (MA Textiles), Sam Royle (MA Service Design. Thank you to RNLI Volunteer Fiona Campbell, based in Oban, Scotland.

‘The overall winner 'Sea Seeds' could help to protect future marine environments and generate significant carbon capture.' – Claire Deuchar, RNLI Chief Information Officer.

Second Place: GoWater

GoWater is an integrated system consisting of a wearable sensor, a virtual map, and a data distribution system which empowers locals and visitors to contribute water quality data to charitable organisations through water sports activities in the Gower Peninsula in Wales.

Student group: Tarika Kumar (MA/MSc Global Innovation Design), Hanbo Zhan (MA Design Products), Danyi Zhang (MA Service Design), Jialin Feng (MA Fashion), and Emily Trenton (MA Textiles). Thank you to RNLI Volunteer Nicola Clark, based in Southgate, the Gower, Wales.

Third Place: Pollenwave

Inspired by the severe decline of wild Atlantic salmon in Stranocum, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, Pollenwave is a biodegradable sensor system that monitors the temperature, pH, and oxygen levels in remote ocean locations. Spread in the ocean through underwater autonomous vehicles, the sensors provide a more granular understanding of the environmental changes that affect marine life.

Student group: Abigail Hoover (MA/MSc Global Innovation Design), Zijin Ling (MA Design Products), Yipeng Wang (MA Service Design), Richard Alexandre (MA/MSc Innovation Design Engineering). Thank you to RNLI Volunteer Patricia Crossley based in Stranocum, County Antrim, Ireland.