#OneCrew in Action: Stories of everyday inclusion

At the RNLI, we are committed to becoming more inclusive. We know that improving our approach to inclusion will support our sustainability.

We know we have big changes to make, but there are lots of small changes that we can all make to help promote inclusion and make people feel welcome.

In our ‘#OneCrew in Action’ series, we will be sharing stories from across the RNLI about how people have made changes, taken new approaches or considered how they can promote and support inclusion. In this first article, we hear from Chris Thomas and Gemma Gill from Fishguard. They tell us about the small change they have made to promote inclusion aboard their all-weather lifeboat (ALB).

#OneCrew in Action at Fishguard

Chris and Gemma have taken the step of providing sanitary products aboard their Trent class lifeboat. A simple drawstring bag hangs in the Trent to discreetly provide products. We talked to them about the little change and the impact it has had within their station and for their crew.

Chris and Gemma, tell us a little about yourselves.

I’m Chris, full time Mechanic at Fishguard. I am a hobby apiarist and married to Lisa (fundraiser).

I’m Gem, full time Coxswain at Fishguard. I am a ‘pawrent’ to one dog and two ponies.

How long have you been crew?

Chris: I have been crew since 2017 (8 years). I started as a volunteer at Fishguard then went full time.

Gem: It’s been 24 years for me, since 2001. I started as a volunteer elsewhere, then was a College Trainer, but came to Fishguard for this job.

Tell us about your roles

Chris: I’m responsible for maintenance on our station Trent and D class. I am also a station LTA (Lifeboat Trainer Assessor) and take a huge part in training the crew.

Gem: I’m the Coxswain, so take command of the boat on service and exercise. As a former trainer, I do a lot to support crew development, and support Chris with maintaining and keeping all of our station kit clean and serviceable.

Inclusion is important to us at the RNLI, what does it mean to you?

Chris: Equal opportunities for all. Everybody should have the chance to learn and progress and be involved.

Gem: I'm keen to make sure everyone at the RNLI is made to feel welcome, no matter who they are – including women and other people who are underrepresented in our crew. 

Can you tell us a little bit about how you have been approaching inclusion, particularly around the provision of sanitary products?

Chris: The Trent is our workplace, the extension of our normal workplace – just when we go to sea. We should do everything in our power to maintain the same standards at sea as on land. Sanitary products are a basic everyday necessity, not a luxury item – so should be available and accessible to everybody who requires them. It’s our duty of care to offer the basic standard of hygiene and comfort to our crew.

Gem: I feel a bit guilty that I didn’t realise we didn’t provide this sooner – as Chris says, it’s our workplace, and should be normalised! It’s not a difficult or costly change to make to the fleet. I hope the RNLI will follow Fishguard and make this normal across the fleet.* It also needs to be communicated to women on inshore lifeboat (ILB) stations that, on a long search, the ALB is a welfare resource.

*See further down this article for an update.

How has this approach created change for your crew members?

Chris: Looking at our shouts, we usually have 25% female crew members on board. If we didn’t have these crew aboard, we wouldn’t be able to launch the boat.

Gem: I’ve had some really good discussions and comments from my crew and heard some very challenging experiences from the wider women’s group, and quickly realised that this very simple addition is high value in terms of our boat launching with enough numbers of qualified crew on service, and – critically – that our existing crew feel seen and valued, and their needs are being respectfully catered for in order to allow them to do their job of keeping our boat running and saving lives at sea. It allows them to feel that ‘this boat is for us too.’

What has been the biggest change you have seen since you took this approach?

Chris: Hearing crew speak up to tell us about how previously this was a huge issue and it caused them to feel uncomfortable about going on long shouts, and how they now feel valued and confident to be able to go to sea to do their lifesaving role.

Gem: Totally echo Chris here – it is early days with us providing this on board, but the feedback from crew says it all.

How have the changes you made impacted other people?

Chris: There has been a positive impact on our crewing levels – and it’s good this is discussed more widely as hopefully it will improve our future seagoing crew recruitment.

Gem: There has been positive reaction from our flank station coxswain, who is also going to ensure that there is provision available on their ALB.

What would your top tips be for other people to consider inclusion in their roles?

Chris: Make sure things are discussed, make sure everything that is needed for the crew is on the operational equipment list. If we need loo rolls and chocolate bars, we also need sanitary stuff. Make things easy to either get through stores or purchase locally. Ask people: have you got kids, a wife, aunties, mums, nieces? Consider if you’d like them to be treated fairly.

Gem: The RNLI is big on the #OneCrew ethos, so we need to make sure it’s not just a nice sounding strapline, it’s the reality for our people. In order to achieve equity, there are many very small changes we need to be able to make. This is one – this could potentially impact 50% of our seagoing staff and volunteer workforce.

A Coastguard colleague told me that kits are now standard equipment on their mobile rescue units – something that she is really chuffed about as she now feels thought about!

Tips for people – think about how you’d feel if you were not given the support you need to fulfil your role safely.

What do you think the RNLI should focus on in terms of inclusion?

Chris: Tackling poor behaviours!

Gem: Agree with Chris here – poor behaviour must be tackled, but also good things should be shared and highlighted. The Women in SAR events that are ongoing around the coast are great to network and improve conversation for women (we are holding one here in Fishguard in October, hopefully!). There are six people networks at the RNLI, open to the communities they represent as well as allies – these things are all really good. It’s also great to see the ‘changing village’ in the Sea Survival Centre pool as part of the facility upgrade – giving everyone, regardless of who they identify as, the same privacy and opportunity to take part in the course they need for their RNLI journey.

I always recommend that people raise any concerns with their area operations manager or volunteer or people adviser in their region, and I always find them a phone number if they need it. I think people often want continued reassurance that their concern is being looked into.

What do you have planned next?

Chris: Carry on making inclusion ‘the Normal’!

Gem: Yup, same as Chris, cleaning, training, maintaining, and trying to be the best we can for our crews!

Sanitary product provision for your ALB

Chris and Gem have shared a small change they have made which has had a big impact for their crew. Making people feel valued and seen, and that their needs are recognised and met. Their approach as already been picked up by their flanking ALB station and has expanded to allow ILB crew to know that they have welfare provision on board.

As a result of the change made by Gem and Chris at Fishguard, the RNLI is currently working alongside the Women’s Community to review how an operational requirement around the provision of sanitary products on all-weather lifeboats could be introduced across the organisation in the future.

Chris and Gem have a small drawstring bag that hangs in their Trent. It contains:

• Bags for disposal. Gem and Chris have a roll of dog poo bags, because they were handy at the time, but nappy bags work just as well.

• A selection of pads and tampons of different absorbencies.

• Hand sanitiser.

• But you could also include:

• Incontinence pads – for example, Tena for men, Tena for women.

• Hygiene wipes.

• Spare brand-new pairs of underwear in various sizes (straight out of the packet).

'#OneCrew in Action' needs you

Huge thanks to Chris and Gem for sharing their stories and their approach to considering inclusion.

We already have a few more of these stories to share, but would love to have more. So please get in touch if you would like to share your approaches to inclusion and encourage others to consider similar changes which can have a positive impact.

If you know of an example or have one to share yourself, please get in touch at [email protected].